Agenda item

Cllr Alan Bottwood, Cabinet Member for Finance spoke about the proposed budget for 2014/15. (Papers and survey available at the meeting). Northampton Borough Council needs to find £2m of savings over 2014/15.

This is due to cuts in Government grants and increasing demand for services.

Extended free parking including every Saturday and 2 hours free during the week

This will help to boost figures of people in the town. With more shops, this will give them more of an income from tax from shops.

Business incentives

More help for businesses in town, reduction of empty shops which will increase footfall. Money invested to improve the business environment and make the town centre a more vibrant and attractive location for shoppers and investors.

Capital budget projects

This is the Council’s Capital Budget which is used for investments in land, infrastructure and equipment. They will prioritise each project that they do and when they do this.

Wardens and park rangers

They are working with the Police, whose funds are also decreasing together with NCC and NBC’s budgets.

NBC are proposing no increase in council tax; there has been no decision made by the police yet and NCC will be increasing their percentage.

Cllr Bottwood said that out of every £ in council tax – 72p goes to NCC.

NBC/Police each retain 14%.

They are looking at creating two new posts and to provide a vehicle which will make their presence more visible and will provide better mobility to cover a greater number of parks more quickly.

Increase opening hours of NBC’s Museums

They are looking to increase the opening hours which will help to increase footfall in the town and increase tourism.

Maintaining the investment of small community grants

The budget for £50k to help community based projects in Northampton has remained the same.

There are also opportunities for funding through:

Councillors grants: £135k

Partnership funds: £50k

Senior management savings

This is on-going. They have cut down 10 senior management posts and have been able to maintain front-line services.

Staff terms and conditions

NBC to be in line with local industry

Jane Carr said that there was a consultation for the proposed budget and encouraged everyone to respond.

Questions and Answers

Q. In terms of council tax increases – what about the parish councils

A. There is a slight delay – the parish councils have until the 2nd week in February to let NBC know.

Reopening Abington Street

Discussions took place about the use of the Quaker offices and how a number of groups used this building regularly including Mind and Baby café. If

Abington Street was reopened then this would have a huge impact for these services users who had children, prams, wheelchairs or were people with disabilities.

Cllr Bottwood said that since the road had closed a lot of businesses had less football and were dying. Long term parking will not be available, it will be either short term or as a drop off point. Northampton Bid is in support of this.

Q. Have you taken men/women’s needs into account? It is difficult for women with prams and wheelchair users to even pay for parking.

A. They are also looking into ‘pay by phone’ parking

Cllr Bottwood said that he everyone had very different needs – from businesses to individuals and that NBC can only go by the results of the consultations. He also explained that they do try and get the consultations out as much as they can but they only receive a small number of responses back.

The group also talked about the right type of shops not being there and this should be looked into as well as parking issues.

Cllr Bottwood said that it might be useful to invite Cllr Tim Haddon who is Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Enterprise and Planning to a future meeting. He also said that he will take the points raised back to Cabinet.

Council tax

Cllr Danielle Stone said that they were expecting a rise of 1.99% which is about 40p per week.

Discussions took place around the difference between the accumulative effect of the 1.99% cap and the freeze on the 1.99% cap.

The groups also discussed the need to make people more aware through the wording of the consultation. For example, if a question asked if you would like to see council tax frozen – most people would say yes. They would not realise that 1.99% equates to a small amount and they would be unaware of the implications of freezing council tax.

Q. How many responses have they received?

A. They had received 71 responses so far

It was commented that the lack of response is down to disinterest – people feel like what is the point when they are not being listened to.

Jane Carr thanked Cllr Bottwood in maintaining the current investment to help community groups. She also welcomed Cllr Bottwood and other councillors to use the forum as a way of gaining views.

Cllr Stone said that violence in women is rising and crime is going down. The support for women and refuges is reduced wherein they need more support.

Ann Bodsworth commented that 39 people needed support for housing by March. Vicki Rockall said that NBC is aware and some help can be given through the Partnership Fund which has supported groups last year.

The Chief Executive of NCC has written to all the district councils and is waiting for responses. The money is not there but NBC has committed its support.

Q. Increase in violence – has this gone up or is this reported more

A. Mainly through it being reported more and also through the services that help support people affected by crime.

Cllr Bottwood commented that they have so many requests and little funding.

It is difficult to work out the priorities and how a council manages its finance is hard.

Jane reiterated the need for everyone to respond to the consultation paper.