Cuts reversed amid government's council cash boost

Councillors, including the authority's leader George Duggins, will vote on the budget, which also determines next year's council tax, on 25 February

Plans for unpopular cuts to public services have been ditched by councillors after an outcry from residents and a boost in government funding to Coventry City Council.

Free parking at the city's War Memorial Park would continue, and charity-run adult services, which include Grapevine's support for people with learning disabilities, would not lose funding, budget papers said.

Street cleaning budgets would not be slashed by 10%, avoiding a feared rise in flytipping.

Councillors said they had listened to the public, and extra money from Westminster allowed them to make changes.

Overall, the council's final budget, which goes to a vote on 25 February, has axed a dozen service cuts worth about £3m.

Residents had organised petitions and staged protests.

The authority also plans to spend an extra £2m on services in 2025-26.

That cash will go on road improvements, tackling fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour, and hosting events, which include the Godiva festival.

Figures showed the authority would get £10.5m more from the government this year than it predicted.

Councillor Richard Brown, cabinet member for finance, said: "I think the fact that we've got a little bit of financial headroom and what we're doing now shows that we do listen to what people say."

Leader of the Labour-run council George Duggins said a "far more generous" settlement by the Labour government enabled them to avoid the cuts.

He said: "We will still have talks with national colleagues about our financial situation. But at least there is a case of listening and recognising that somewhere like Coventry needed more resources."

Papers shared with the Local Democracy Reporting Service stated councils nationally got extra money worth £2bn.

Budget papers also revealed the council's annual costs had increased by about £8m compared to original forecasts, including a rise in employers' National Insurance contributions.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.