Derby City Council: Job cuts and council tax rise under budget plan

Derby City Council says its position has become "considerably more challenging"

More than 160 posts could be cut and council tax could rise by almost 5% as a council proposes budget changes to plug a £34m funding gap.

Derby City Council has revealed plans for its 2023-24 budget, which could see services reduced if given the go ahead.

The authority is proposing to make job cuts to the equivalent of 162 full-time posts and changes to adult social care and family services.

It is planning to make more than £20m of savings in the next three years.

The council says "tough decisions" are being made in the face of a "perfect storm" of rising costs and inflation.

It has said that in addition to these proposals, "more savings" will have to be found over the next two years.

In an effort to begin bridging the gap, the Conservative-run administration has proposed the following money-saving measures:

• A review of the council's early help offer to focus on the most vulnerable children and families in need

• Reviewing adult social care packages to focus on the most critical needs of the most vulnerable

• Ending the council's subsidy of community-managed libraries from the end of the financial year, effectively ending the service

• Households are set to pay more council tax with rises of 4.99% in the pipeline - the maximum allowed without a referendum. Band D properties would see bills increase by £78.74 a year

• Exploring options for the council's leisure services, to consider outsourcing remaining services to an operating partner

• Reducing the frequency and service offer for 'street scene' services, including grounds and highways maintenance and street cleansing

• Reviewing opening hours of its Council House base in Corporation Street

The proposals will go to public consultation after they are discussed at the council's cabinet meeting on 21 December.

Councillor Jonathan Smale, cabinet member for finance, digital and culture, said: "The global and national economic situation has presented councils across the country with unprecedented funding challenges this year.

"We want to hear the public's view on these proposals more than ever before, because we have faced some extremely tough choices. But deciding not to go ahead with one proposal will mean having to find equivalent savings elsewhere."

Councillor Smale added that he promised the council will "lobby national government to find a solution to the issue of funding for local councils".

The Labour opposition leader Baggy Shanker branded it a "savage" proposal.

"Derby is paying the price for 12 years of austerity under the Conservatives and five years of a mismanaged budget," said Councillor Shanker.

"We're paying the price through a maximum increase in council tax on top of record energy prices, fuel prices, inflation and the cost of living crisis. It's going to go down really badly.

"I feel sorry for people having to pay for this damage to their economy through the 160-odd jobs lost."

The authority said its financial position will become clearer when the government announces its funding settlement later this month.

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