Carolyne chaired a meeting of Scrutiny Commission dedicated to examining the draft budget for 2024/25. Members of the Commission combed through the proposed revenue and capital budgets and received a report about Quarter 3.
She was pleased to see that the budget for gully clearance will no longer be cut. This is an essential service in a district that is prone to river, surface and groundwater flooding. The draft budget will be debated and voted on at Full Council on 29 February. However, she remains concerned about the proposal to hand three care homes over to the private sector, and will be keeping an eye on this.
Carolyne is concerned about the pressures being put on councils to make cut-backs, even when these cuts are unsustainable in the long-term. The next government of this country must provide longer-term settlements for local councils so they have more certainty about their income and can plan for future challenges including an ageing population.
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