Cardiff faces a budget issue. Proposed tax hikes and parking fee increases aim to bridge a £27.7M gap and protect key services.
Cardiff faces a budget issue. Proposed tax hikes and parking fee increases aim to bridge a £27.7M gap and protect key services.
Cardiff Council Considers Council Tax Hike and Parking Permit Cost Increase
The council wants to spend more on important things, specifically schools, children, and social care. Parking permits, school meals, and funeral costs could increase as part of these changes.
Council tax might rise by 4.95%. Furthermore, sixty jobs at the council might disappear, handled through unfilled jobs and voluntary exits.
After asking the public, they changed some initial plans. Parking permits for extra cars may increase to £90. Burial costs could increase to £1,140, with cremations potentially rising to £910. School lunches may go up to £3.55.
Weekend and holiday surcharges for funerals are canceled. The council will still help pay for school meals, despite potential cost increases to some services.
Schools are set to receive £22.9 million more. Adult services get £12.8 million extra, while children’s services will get £6.5 million more. School transport gets an additional £8.8 million and parks get £1.5 million.
Street cleaning and recycling receive £1 million. Community events and child-friendly projects each get £600,000. Drains get £250,000 more. Sports get £200,000 in grants and community safety gets £200,000. Bus shelters get £150,000.
Councilor Chris Weaver says service demand is up, noting that the cost of living makes more folks homeless. He also says that Cardiff’s population is aging, needing more support, and more children need special learning help.
These services matter, so help is being prioritized. They initially needed over £60 million, but more money from Wales reduced it to £27.7 million. Council tax is only about 26% of the budget.
“Efficiency” savings will save £12.5 million and corporate savings and service changes save £5.8 million. These savings are part of the wider budget balancing plans.
Sixty council jobs may go, after 160 last year; the council wants to minimize effects on vital services. According to Weaver, they listened to feedback from residents during the formation of these plans.
The focus is on education and social care. Cabinet members will discuss this budget soon, and the final council vote will be in March.
The council wants to spend more on important things, specifically schools, children, and social care. Parking permits, school meals, and funeral costs could increase as part of these changes.
Council tax might rise by 4.95%. Furthermore, sixty jobs at the council might disappear, handled through unfilled jobs and voluntary exits.
After asking the public, they changed some initial plans. Parking permits for extra cars may increase to £90. Burial costs could increase to £1,140, with cremations potentially rising to £910. School lunches may go up to £3.55.
Weekend and holiday surcharges for funerals are canceled. The council will still help pay for school meals, despite potential cost increases to some services.
Schools are set to receive £22.9 million more. Adult services get £12.8 million extra, while children’s services will get £6.5 million more. School transport gets an additional £8.8 million and parks get £1.5 million.
Street cleaning and recycling receive £1 million. Community events and child-friendly projects each get £600,000. Drains get £250,000 more. Sports get £200,000 in grants and community safety gets £200,000. Bus shelters get £150,000.
Councilor Chris Weaver says service demand is up, noting that the cost of living makes more folks homeless. He also says that Cardiff’s population is aging, needing more support, and more children need special learning help.
These services matter, so help is being prioritized. They initially needed over £60 million, but more money from Wales reduced it to £27.7 million. Council tax is only about 26% of the budget.
“Efficiency” savings will save £12.5 million and corporate savings and service changes save £5.8 million. These savings are part of the wider budget balancing plans.
Sixty council jobs may go, after 160 last year; the council wants to minimize effects on vital services. According to Weaver, they listened to feedback from residents during the formation of these plans.
The focus is on education and social care. Cabinet members will discuss this budget soon, and the final council vote will be in March.