East Riding of Yorkshire Council drops plans to introduce charges for free park parks as it passes 3.9% council tax rise

East Riding councillors have passed a 3.99% council tax hike and the budget for the coming year, with plans to introduce charges for free car parks dropped.
Council leader Jonathan Owen said the year ahead would be an exciting one for the East Riding as it looked to rebuild in the aftermath of the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.Council leader Jonathan Owen said the year ahead would be an exciting one for the East Riding as it looked to rebuild in the aftermath of the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Council leader Jonathan Owen said the year ahead would be an exciting one for the East Riding as it looked to rebuild in the aftermath of the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Councillors voted 46 to 11 in favour of the budget put forward by the ruling Conservative group, which included the hike, at a meeting yesterday (Thursday, February 10).

Council leader Cllr Jonathan Owen said it came amid ongoing financial pressures from coronavirus, the austerity of the previous decade and uncertainty around arrangements for local authority funding going forward.

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Liberal Democrat opposition leader Cllr David Nolan said the budget failed to address changes needed on local government financing, adding council tax was an unfair way to raise funds.

Cllr Owen said the council tax hike would equate to an extra £5.17 a month for a Band D home, up £62.03 on the last financial year’s bill to £1,616.79.

But he added that the increase would be lower for the roughly half of East Riding homes in Bands A and B, rising by £3.45 and £4.02 a month respectively.

The budget backed by councillors includes spending £200,000 on bringing forward the winter gritting trigger time from 12pm to 8am, with the reversal on parking charges costing £311,000.

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It also includes £400,000 for 100 new electric vehicle charging points in the next 18 months and £300,000 extra for the Love Your High Street regeneration fund.

It features £250,000 to pilot having a new team looking at how to use regeneration funding in Goole and £525,000 for the council’s Community Wealth Fund.

An extra £250,000 is set to be spent on CCTV, £133,000 for business rate relief for early learning providers .

A total of £55,000 has been earmarked for the School Music Service, aimed at helping low income families afford instruments and lessons.

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Subsidised bus routes have been given a total of £150,000 and £200,000 has been set aside for the council’s Hardship Fund.

The Conservative measures, costing more than £2.463m, are to be funded by a £508,000 increase in the Government’s financial settlement for the council.

They will also be backed by £605,000 unspent from the council’s coronavirus reserve to cover pandemic losses from local levy collections.

Some £250,000 will be transferred from the Economic Development and Bridlington Regeneration Reserve, with £1.1m coming from the Council Tax Hardship Fund.

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The budget also includes £2.25m for the council’s Total Pay and Reward Strategy, its review of salaries to help fill staff vacancies, some which have been empty for months.

Cllr Owen said the year ahead would be an exciting one for the East Riding as it looked to rebuild in the aftermath of the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.

But he added it came amid ongoing funding pressures, particularly the mounting cost of social care as the East Riding’s population continues to age.

The council leader said: “What has changed in the 23 years that I’ve been involved in budget setting is the reduction in government funding, austerity has made us develop new efficiencies.

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“We’ve been through the pandemic for around two years and all the pain and hardship that has caused.

“Our settlement from the Government announced last year only covers one year, meaning everything in our plans beyond that is speculative.

“We’re a huge organisation, we provide over 600 services for more than 341,000 residents.

“We face a range of pressures in the coming years, including demographic pressures, an uncertain employment market, increasing levels of inflation and pay rewards.

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“We’re going to utilise the council tax increase to support adult social care which continues to be under pressure.

“But council tax only provides about 20 per cent of our funding, it can only contribute in a small way to addressing reductions in income from other sources.

“We’ll continue with our priorities of growing the economy, embracing technology so we can work in a more agile way, valuing our environment, protecting the vulnerable and empowering and supporting communities.

“We’re not going to introduce car parking fees in places where they don’t already apply to protect businesses.

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“Our Pay and Reward Strategy isn’t about consultants, our staff deserve to be treated fairly, this hasn’t been reviewed in years and it’s right that we do it now.

“This will be a progressive and exciting year for residents.”

Cllr Nolan said branded the plans an officer’s budget with tinkering around the edges from the Conservatives.

The Liberal Democrats proposed an alternative budget which included £250,000 on crime prevention and safety for women and £617,000 for pot hole and pavement repairs.

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It also includes £100,000 for dog fouling prevention and enforcement, £130,000 for ward budgets of £5,000 a year and £100,000 for speeding reduction in Flamborough.

The opposition earmarked £125,000 for a free shuttle bus from Bridlington to Scarborough hospital, £50,000 for improved road safety in Hessle and £500,000 for hardstanding for verge parking.

A further £100,000 was proposed for a feasibility study for improvements at Bridlington Hospital, with no changes to car parking charges costing £383,000.

The Liberal Democrat leader said: “We’ve had a poor settlement from the Government, there’s no real plan for social care or long-term financing.

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“We’ve also had Brexit which supposed to be about taking back control, local government should be one of the areas we have more control in.

“We’ve only got council tax, a very visual and sensitive tax which is unfair and needs to be changed, but we are where we are.

“The budget draws on our reserves when we should be looking at other options.

“We will continue to oppose the Pay and Reward Strategy, we think spending the money on that at this time is a disgrace.”