Council tax payers in Cumbria can still have their say on some tough financial dilemmas being faced by Cumbria County Council as it prepares to set its budget for the financial year ahead.
Ministers have already told local authorities across the country that they expect to see council tax bills for 2005/6 rise by no more than five per cent. But the Government has also demanded that Cumbria County Council comply with certain legal spending requirements in education and take on new responsibilities in areas such as Social Services and the Fire Service.
Councillor Mike Ash, deputy leader of the council and budget spokesman, said the Government’s funding settlement to the county council - known as the Revenue Support Grant - did not provide enough cash to meet the Government’s requirements for council tax and spending targets and has left the Cumbria County Council with some difficult decisions.
Mr Ash said: "Over the last seven years Cumbria has, in difficult circumstances, had the lowest cumulative percentage rises in council tax of all the counties.
"Setting the budget for 2005/6 looks more difficult than ever as the Government says it expects a spending increase of some six per cent in the coming year, but the grant it says it will provide takes no account of the fact that we are faced with a number of major spending pressures which we cannot ignore such, as additional waste disposal costs, extra employers' pension contributions and spending on the county’s youth service."
"I announced the public consultation on the budget at the cabinet meeting back in December, but people still have until 17th February if they want to have a say. Even if people simply want to tell us what they think the council tax rate should be, we would still welcome their comments."
Anyone who wishes to comment can write to the Director of Corporate Finance, Cumbria County Council, The Courts, Carlisle, CA3 8NA or e-mail information@cumbriacc.gov.uk
Relevant financial information on the RSG and budget options for the county can be found in agenda item seven and appendices for county council's cabinet meeting of 21st December at http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/councilmeetings/toc/default.asp?Section=8&committee=2941&offset=10