Coastal grass cutting and bus shelters part of council’s £100,000 savings plan for Scarborough area
Council bosses are poised to approve £100,000 of savings in coastal grass cutting and the maintenance of bus shelters despite concerns about an impact on rural communities.
North Yorkshire Council is set to implement savings of up to £102,347 by ceasing “inconsistent, duplicated or discretionary funding” for public shelters and bus shelters in the Scarborough area.
The Scarborough Model Agreement (SMA) currently allocates £208,724.77 annually to 36 parish and town councils in the Scarborough area for services including roadside grass cutting, burial ground maintenance, and public amenities.
The savings are part of what the council described as “a significant transformation programme to maximise the benefits of local government re-organisation”.
An equality impact assessment has highlighted that some rural communities “may be affected” but council officers said that “parishes will be able to mitigate any reduced funding by reviewing their own precepts”.
They added it was “not certain” whether the reduction of external funding would affect service delivery levels.
Certain areas of funding, such as parks, playing fields, and open spaces would remain unchanged for now, while other areas of support would cease.
Funding for grass cutting at roadside verges would be cut entirely from the current £55,000, while ‘administration’ which is currently allocated £23,000 would also receive nothing, if the plan is approved.
Funding for public shelters, bus shelters, and public clocks would also cease.
The Scarborough Model Agreement (SMA) is a legacy funding regime from the now-defunct Scarborough Borough Council where payments are made to town, parish, and village councils in the Scarborough area for the delivery of services related to the local environment.
A report to the council’s executive committee, which will meet on Tuesday, October 21 to discuss the plan, said a review had identified opportunities to “harmonise” the authority’s approach.
According to the council, the £55,000 allocated to roadside verges is “both a duplication of funding” and is “not equitable with other parishes that do not receive funding for ‘whole verge’ grass cutting”.
The maintenance of public clocks is supported in 10 parishes with funding of £2,500, which would also be ceased under the plan “as it is a discretionary service that does not happen elsewhere”.
North Yorkshire Council’s wider scheme involves reviewing services within the Highways and Infrastructure service unit, including highways, parks and grounds, waste, and street cleansing.
The council is examining how it can “leverage capabilities and harmonise services to ensure consistency and equity across the county” and has set a budgeted savings target of £600,000 by 2027/28.
Members of the public are invited to attend and ask questions at the meeting of the executive committee at County Hall in Northallerton on Tuesday, October 21.
Residents can ask questions or make statements at the meeting if they have given notice to St John Harris, Principal Democratic Services Officer, and supplied the text by midday on Thursday, October 16, via email to [email protected].