The Derbyshire Dales council's budget plan prioritizes spending on local employment, crime reduction, and clean public areas, while minimizing funds for special events and climate initiatives. The corporate plan for 2011-2015 emphasizes affordable housing, a clean environment, and community safety, maintaining services without increasing council tax for the fourth consecutive year. A six-year financial plan outlines savings through service reviews and alternative delivery methods, addressing a significant reduction in government funding.

1. Derbyshire Dales: a beautiful place to live, work and visit
Spending Plans and Priorities
Phil Colledge, Head of Resources
Karen Henriksen, Accountancy & Exchequer Manager

2. BUDGET CONSULTATION
Priority services that the Council should spend most on:
 Creating and sustaining local employment
 Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour
 Keeping streets and public areas clean
 Improving the supply of affordable, decent housing
Services that the Council should spend least on:
 Subsidising special events
 Tackling climate change
 Expensive general publicity
 Encouraging visitors to stay longer & providing Tourist Information Centres

3. CORPORATE PLAN 2011-2015
Based on budget constraints, the public’s
wishes, Members’ aims, evidence of need
Three priorities 2011-15:
1. Housing which meets local needs
2. A clean, green and prosperous Dales
3. Safe and healthy communities

4. TARGET AREAS 2014-2015
1. Increase affordable housing
•
Identify & deliver new affordable housing sites
•
Improve housing opportunities for vulnerable people
2.
•
•
•
Increase business growth & job creation
Help new businesses to start
Help existing businesses to grow
Promote key development sites
3. Maintain essential services valued by local people
• Street cleaning, waste collection, safe & healthy communities
4. Make savings necessary to achieve a sustainable budget

5. MAIN MESSAGES FOR 2014/15
• No proposed significant service
reductions
• No increase in Council Tax by the
District Council – frozen for the 4 th year

6. LOCAL GOV’T FINANCE SETTLEMENT
2013/14
Government Funding
Reduction over previous year
2014/15
2015/16
£3,560,000
£3,088,000
£2,610,000
15.6%
13.25%
15.5%
Comes on top of 15.6% grant reduction for 2012/13, and 16.2% cut in 2011/12.

7. SIX-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN
2014/
15
2015/
16
2016/
17
2017/
18
2018/
19
2019/
20
£000s
£000s
£000s
£000s
£000s
£000s
9,323
9,039
9,167
9,387
9,613
9,845
Income from Council
Tax
-5,285
-5,285
-5,388
-5,493
-5,600
-5,709
Income from Grants etc.
-4,038
-3,617
-3,313
-2,919
-2,570
-2,170
-
137
975
1,443
1,966
Forecast Spending
Level
Savings to be achieved
466

8. APPROACH TO ACHIEVING SAVINGS

Review & reduce spending across all services while minimising as
far as possible the impact on residents
• No service reductions in 2014/15

All services to be reviewed over a five-year period

Service reviews include:
• Grounds Maintenance / Street Cleansing – savings of
£130,000 identified
• Administration - £200,000 savings identified
• Leisure – in progress
• ICT transformation – in progress
• Tourism – in progress
• Discretionary Grants – in progress
• Housing – due to start in 2014/15
• Planning – due to start in 2014/15

9. APPROACH TO ACHIEVING SAVINGS
 Consider shared services & other alternative service
delivery methods
• New arrangements agreed for:
o Revenues & Benefits
o Internal Audit
 Reduce fixed and variable employee costs while protecting
existing employees as far as practicable
 Making best use of our assets
 Assess utilisation of reserves and balances
 Generation of additional income
 Increase fees and charges
 Consider future Council Tax increases
• No increase proposed for 2014/15

10. YOUR TURN!
Any questions or comments?