Westmorland and Furness Council cabinet have approved the launch of public consultation on its proposed budget and council tax for 2025/26 that will see the council tax increase by 4.9% and the councils need to make 12.5million in savings along side using £11million of reserves in order to balance its budget plans.
The cabinet were also told that the council has a £20million deficit off its books currently and the council will have to foot a £6million bill to remove asbestos discovered as part of a £17million pound refurbishment of the council owned Barrow Market Hall. Westmorland and Furness Council will have to fund the £6million costs for the removal to the materials to complete the refurbishment work that has also revealed a number of additional structural issues with the council owned building.
Westmorland and Furness Council said “For 2024/25 we are on target to deliver over £10m of savings alongside the one off use of earmarked reserves of a net £11m. This has meant we have been able to invest in doing things differently, ensuring that capacity is reflective of the demands of being a new council and recognising the ongoing financial costs as well as benefits of local government reorganisation.”
“Despite this financial achievement this year we have an additional £12.5m of savings to find in order to achieve a balanced budget for 2025/26 onwards. We have a responsibility to be financially sustainable and that means we need to identify permanent changes to the budget to achieve a balanced position going forward. We continue to have growing pressures from demand and legislative changes and so it is important that we continue to focus our budget to support our priorities and vision. This is becoming harder to achieve each year but being financially responsible we want to make the best and most efficient use of our resources to deliver on our promises”
“Doing all of this will help ensure that we can continue to deliver ongoing improvements to services for our residents and communities and demonstrate that we can deliver value for money in all that we deliver.”
The consultation is now open and can be completed online at https://consult.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/westmorland-and-furness-council/budget25-26/
The consultation closes on the 17th January 2025
Accessible formats of the survey are available on request from the council.
Feedback from the public consultation will be considered by Cabinet and then go to Full Council on 27 February 2025 with recommendations, presented alongside the Budget and Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).
Cllr Andrew Jarvis, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, said:
“As everyone knows it is still a very tough financial climate out there and many people and families remain badly affected by the cost of living crisis.
“Since being created, we have worked hard to ensure we deliver a balanced budget as well as creating the opportunity for investment. In year one we received exceptional financial support from Government due to LGR and in year two we invested one off earmarked reserves in order to stabilise and ensure the basic building blocks are in place, and determine the Westmorland and Furness Council priorities, ambition and ways of working.
“Change and transformation is a necessity for all councils and as a new unitary council with a strong community focus, we are challenging existing approaches and determining our way forward.
“We know that to be ready for the future we will continue to change and transform and we know we can’t do this alone. We must continue to work together with our partners and communities so that together we can all make a real difference, safeguarding essential services and driving forward positive change at a much quicker pace.
“Overall, considering the national picture and ongoing uncertainty still of the funding envelope for local government for 2025/26, our budget is in very reasonable shape. We aren’t cutting services and we will retain our focus on change and transformation to give real improvements in services for our residents and communities.
“It is fair to say though that we are unlikely to receive all of the funding from Government that we really need to deliver on our ambition as a council. By February 2025, we will need to agree a balanced budget, which is a legal requirement.
“Our income levels and budget choices affect residents, the amount they pay and the services that they receive. That is why I am encouraging everyone, residents and partners alike, to have their say on this year’s budget consultation – so that we can shape our future together.”
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