Cuts mean residents will 'pay more and get less'

Swindon Borough Council's Wat Tyler East office block would be turned into flats under the opposition Conservative's plans to generate income

Swindon residents will be "paying more and getting less" due to spending cuts this year, according to the borough council.

The first Labour budget in more than two decades is expected to be set later, after the party took control of the authority in 2023.

A 4.99% tax rise is expected, in what leaders say is a "make or break" year to transform services or go bust.

Opposition Conservatives are pushing measures including a slightly smaller tax rise and turning an unused council office block into flats.

Swindon Labour's Kevin Small said he "took no pleasure whatsoever" in taking the steps necessary to balance the council's books

"I'm not proud of the budget I'm having to propose", Labour's cabinet member for finance Kevin Small told the BBC.

"But it is the right budget," he added.

Mr Small said the £35m of proposed savings would keep the borough "financially stable, and at the same time, protect the services the most vulnerable need".

He blamed large cuts in central government funding for councils since 2010 as the cause of the need to take action.

Aiming to avoid bankruptcy

About 70 full-time jobs are expected to be cut, several of which are already vacant posts.

Other proposals would see thousands of streetlights dimmed at certain times to reduce energy bills.

Spending cuts are expected for libraries and community transport, as well as a major overhaul of spending in adult and children care services, which account for the vast majority of council spending.

The council is also expecting to spend £5.1m of its reserves, its backup savings, to prop-up services in the year ahead

"We have to turn those services around", said Mr Small, who warned unless the council was "very strict and disciplined" it would have to declare bankruptcy this time next year.

Conservative Gary Sumner said his party wanted to see more innovation to lessen the burden on taxpayers

The budget setting meeting on Thursday evening is also a chance for the opposition to put forward its alternative ideas.

The Conservatives want to see a slightly smaller tax rise than Labour, keeping a 2% rise for social care, but only adding 1.37% to the general council tax, rather than the 2.99% most authorities like Swindon are pushing for.

Labour say this would be unaffordable, but Tory leader, councillor Gary Sumner, said "innovation and smart ideas" would allow the council to "generate more income" by using property it owns in more commercial ways.

Mr Sumner's party has proposed turning a largely empty office block on the council's Civic Campus into apartments to lease out.

"It's doing nothing, benefitting the council in no way whatsoever other than the burden of business rates", Mr Sumner said.

He suggested up to 28 apartments could be created to generate revenue.

Other Conservative party ideas include introducing artificial intelligence IT systems and trialling two hours free parking at Spring Gardens multi-storey to see if it boosts footfall and spending.