A five per cent council tax rise is one step closer for Isle of Wight residents.
It would bring with it cuts to a stroke support service, increased parking charges and voluntary redundancies.
The ‘survival’ budget of the Isle of Wight Council was approved by its cabinet members last week — following what they had called significant financial challenges, caused by the war in Ukraine, and rocketing inflation rates.
Council leader, Cllr Lora Peacey-Wilcox, said when the administration started preparing its proposed budget it seemed impossible, but she said they took on the mandate to help residents and would not give up without a fight.
Cllr Ian Stephens, deputy leader, said it was the best the council could do in the circumstances and pointed out the Isle of Wight had not gone down the route of other mainland authorities, like Croydon, which is proposing to put up its council tax by 15 per cent.
Cllr Phil Jordan said the £93 million austerity cuts had been forced on the authority and argued the difficult decisions it was having to make were directly linked to a lack of government funding.
Cllr Andrew Garratt called for careful scrutiny of potential cash for replacement laptops – for which £1,595,000 has been ring-fenced (subject to go-ahead).
Cllr Geoff Brodie called for clarity over proposed staff redundancies and asked how many officers could lose their jobs.
No number could be given, said Cllr Stephens, who added it was about ‘right-sizing the organisation,’ assisted by ‘transformational change’.
Cllr Chris Jarman said the ‘organisational redesign’ had been valued at the equivalent of £1.2 million and will be completed by October. In the council’s 2022 pay policy, the mean salary of a council officer is £27,559 – so the equivalent of 43.5 jobs at that salary level.
A final decision about the budget — where opposition groups can propose alternative schemes and amendments — will be made on February 22.
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