Consultation on further proposals to balance the Council budget
As we continue to work towards finalising our budget proposals for next year, we continue to experience significant financial uncertainly, due to high inflation and service demand. The estimated budget deficit we face next year and across the next four years has increased, and therefore the scale of the savings we need to balance our budget has increased. With that in mind further savings are proposed for consultation.
Thank you to everyone who took part in the consultation. Over two phases of consultation, which took part between September and December 2023, we received over 350 questionnaire responses. Additionally a range of feedback was also gathered from a series of Area Action Partnership meetings which took place during both consultation periods, as well as feedback received separately from a range of partners, organisations and interested groups including Durham Youth Council, County Durham Partnership and County Durham Association of Local Councils.
Cabinet met on 17 January 2024 to consider the collective results of the two phases of consultation. Full details are contained within the report entitled Medium Term Financial Plan 2024/25 to 2027/28 and Revenue Budget 2024/25 in the Cabinet agenda and minutes 17 January 2024.
These further savings are in addition to the ones in the consultation on our budget proposals for 2024/5 and Medium Term Financial Plan 2025-2028.
Update on current picture
The total savings needed at this stage for 2024/25 to balance the budget is now estimated to be £16.308 million - around £4.2 million more than was previously forecast. Across the next four years, the total savings required are estimated to be £67.602 million - around £11.6 million more than was previously forecast.
A total of £5.878 million of savings have already been approved, of which £2.332 million can be delivered in 2024/25. Our Cabinet agreed additional savings proposals of £3.7 million for 2024/25 and £6.617 million in total across the budget planning period, at its meeting in July 2024.
Cabinet have now approved further savings proposals of £1.943 million in 2024/25 and £2.909 million across the four year period for consultation.
Final decisions on these proposals will not be made until February next year.
The budget forecasts continue to assume that we will apply the maximum increases in our council tax across each of the next four years, in line with government guidance and expectations.
You can read the full report in the Cabinet agenda and minutes - 11 October 2023.
Further savings proposals - October 2023 savings plan
Wherever possible the focus on developing savings options for 2024/25 and the following three years, continues to look for efficiencies, raise additional income and protect front line services.
Savings from back office and making efficiencies
Savings = £0.4 million for 2024/25
Savings = £0.5 million over the four year period
Proposals to make efficiencies and savings from back office areas by reviews of:
- staffing in the Partnerships and Community Engagement section
- funding for Highways section, including looking at how we use external income to part fund staff
- catering to make sure it is cost neutral (that the cost to run our catering service is not higher than the income it generates)
Raising additional income and reducing our third-party contributions
Savings = £1.3 million for 2024/25
Savings = £1.3 million over the four-year period
Proposals to raise additional income and reduce our third party contributions including:
- a review of car parking in Durham City including on and off street parking charges and Park and Ride services on Sundays
- introducing car parking charges at coastal destinations such as Seaham and Crimdon
- removing the 'free after 2.00pm' parking initiative for off street parking across countywide car parking
Savings from changes in the way we deliver front-line services
Savings = £0.2 million for 2024/25
Savings = £1.1 million over the four-year period
Proposals to save money by changing the way we deliver front line services such as reviews of:
- Area Action Partnership (AAP) area budgets: this includes a reduction in the revenue element (such as running costs) of each AAP's grants budget for local community projects, partially offset by an increase in the capital element (such as building improvements), resulting in the overall budget reducing from £110K to £100K for each AAP
- early years provision and council run nursery services: as the government has announced an increase in funding for childcare provision, it is appropriate for us to review a removal or reduction of the budgets for our four nurseries up to 2027-28, to balance this increase out. This saving proposal does not relate to maintained nursery schools or nurseries run by schools.
- Neighbourhood Protection services (such as Neighbourhood Wardens): looking at staffing and additional areas for increased efficiency
- allotments: looking at ways to reduce maintenance costs and the possibility of increasing fees for our allotment sites
- community engagement: how our community engagement and empowerment is supported as our AAPs are restructured to Local Networks - this will take into account opportunities from the forthcoming boundary changes to County Councillor Electoral Divisions
Have your say
The closing date for comments was 5.00pm on Sunday 3 December 2023.
AAP meeting schedule
Email your local AAP to express your interest in attending the meeting.
AAP | Date | Time | Venue | Contact |
---|---|---|---|---|
4 Together Partnership | 1 November 2023 | 6.00pm | Dean Bank and Ferryhill Literary Institute St Cuthberts Terrace Ferryhill DH17 8PP | fouraap@durham.gov.uk |
Stanley AAP | 7 November 2023 | 5.00pm | Morrison Busty Depot Morrison Road Annfield Plain Stanley DH9 7RX | stanleyaap@durham.gov.uk |
East Durham AAP | 8 November 2023 | 6.00pm | Hazelwell Centre Windsor Terrace Haswell Durham DH6 2DY | eastdurhamaap@durham.gov.uk |
3 Towns Partnership | 9 November 2023 | 5.30pm | Crook Civic Centre 9 North Terrace Crook DL15 9AZ | threetownsaap@durham.gov.uk |
Durham AAP | 15 November 2023 | 6.00pm | email to register for Teams online | dcaap@durham.gov.uk |
Teesdale AAP | 15 November 2023 | 6.00pm | The Witham 3 Horse Market Barnard Castle DL12 8LY | TAP@durham.gov.uk |
Spennymoor AAP | 16 November 2023 | 6.00pm | Byers Green Village Hall 85 High Street Byers Green Spennymoor DL16 7NX | spennyaap@durham.gov.uk |
East Durham Rural Corridor AAP | 23 November 2023 | 2.00pm | email to register for Teams online | eastdurhamruralaap@durham.gov.uk |
Bishop Auckland and Shildon AAP | 23 November 2023 | 4.00pm | Bishop Auckland Football Club Heritage Park Stadium Way St Helen Auckland Bishop Auckland DL14 9A | bishopshildonaap@durham.gov.uk |
Chester-le-Street AAP | 27 November 2023 | 6.00pm | Pelton Community Centre Front Street Pelton Chester-le-Street DH2 1DE | chester-le-streetaap@durham.gov.uk |
Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership | 28 November 2023 | 6.00pm | email to register for Teams online | gampaap@durham.gov.uk |
Derwent Valley AAP | 29 November 2023 | 6.00pm | Salvation Army Hall Sherburn Terrace Consett DH8 6ND | dvaap@durham.gov.uk |
Mid Durham AAP | 29 November 2023 | 6.00pm | email to register for Teams online | mdaap@durham.gov.uk |
Weardale AAP | 30 November 2023 | 6.00pm | Eastgate Village Hall Eastgate Bishop Auckland DL13 2HU | weardaleaap@durham.gov.uk |
What happens next
Your additional feedback will help us shape and finalise our budget proposals for 2024/25 as well as help us look ahead longer term to make future savings. This will be reported to our cabinet and full council in February 2024.
We expect to consult further in 2024 on how to progress with future savings proposals.
- Email consultations@durham.gov.uk
- Telephone 03000 263 593