Council to help struggling businesses

COUNCIL chiefs at Warrington have decided to withdraw proposed savings of £150,000 to enable them to do more to help businesses struggling as a result of the recession.
The savings were to have been made on business engagement and social regeneration – but members of the council’s executive board decided to keep expenditure the same as this year.
Council leader Ian Marks (pictured, right) said: “This will enable us to support hard pressed businesses and jobs.
“We will seek more external funding to pay for this.”
The board was responding to concerns expressed by the business community and a suggestion from chief finance officer David Cruickshank, who pointed out that the saving had originally been proposed when the UK was in an economic downturn the Government hoped would be short-lived.
He added: “Now that the UK has entered a full blown recession that is predicted to last at least 12 months, the executive board may wish to revisit this saving and direct officers to seek external funding, such as accessing European funding.
“If such external funding is not available and should the executive board decided to remove the saving, in-year reprioritisation of spending will be undertaken by the chief executive.”
The executive board approved a four per cent increase in council tax – equal to £1,314.90 for the average Band D dwelling in un-parished areas of the borough
Coun Marks said the economic downturn affected local councils like any other organisation with rising costs and reduced income.
But he said: “Despite the pressures facing us, we have managed to find efficiency savings. These will enable us to invest nearly £1.6 million in improved services. We are also investing significant amounts in major capital projects.
The increase in council tax at four per cent is the lowest for a decade. It is important for people to realise that the average level of council tax in Warrington is low and will be £76 below the national average and £280 below the average level for the Manchester area.”
Coun Fiona Bruce, (left) executive member for finance said she was pleased the council had been able to keep the increase down to a maximum of 3.9 per cent, if the recommended police and fire service precepts were confirmed and taken into account.
She said: “We listened to what people before we set our budget and we made their priorities our priorities.
“We have had a positive reaction from everyone. There has been virtually no criticism . I think this shows we have managed to narrow the gap between the Town Hall and the public.
“At the same time as making a lot of savings we have continued to make improvements – we have not been prepared to stand still.”
Warrington’s 18 parish councils have fixed precepts totalling £1,461.164.
For a Band D property this will increase council tax by the following amounts: Appleton: £17; Birchwood: £89.99; Burtonwood and Westbrook: £20.53; Croft: £69.11; Cuerdley: £19.65; Culcheth and Glazebury: £16.82; Grappenhall and Thelwall: £33.11; Great Sankey: £17.00; Hatton: £11.92; Lymm: £25.53; Penketh: £59.57; Poulton with Fearnhead: £16.02; Rixton with Glazebrook: £25.75; Stockton Heath: £25.50; Stretton: £21.00; Walton: £9.14; Winwick: £38.70; Woolston: £7.51.