Isle of Wight budget one of the most challenging ever, council says

Councillor Karl Love said the budget-setting process had been "pretty stressful"

A council has said the next budget is one of the most difficult it has ever had to prepare.

Isle of Wight Council has proposed savings of nearly £4m in 2023/24 while increasing spending on adult social care and children's services.

The plans include voluntary redundancies, increases in parking charges and reducing support for patients travelling across the Solent.

Final decisions will be made at a council meeting on 22 February.

The Isle of Wight will again receive an extra £1m from the government next year to reflect the costs of separation from the mainland

Finance officers said the budget-setting process had been "one of the most challenging experienced by the Isle of Wight Council" due to inflation, Covid pressures and the war in Ukraine.

The authority's ruling Alliance group - compromising Independent councillors and other parties - is proposing to raise council tax in the next financial year by 4.99%.

Councillor Karl Love, in charge of adult social care, said the "survival budget" would cut some non-essential services while protecting those most in need.

He said his department would save money by moving buildings, reducing home visits while increasing online care and cutting funding for a stroke support service in Ryde.

The council budget includes proposals for an unknown number of voluntary redundancies

The council's overall £3.9m savings also include increasing parking fees by 25p per hour, raising charges for bereavement services and removing the £150,000 budget for the role of Assistant Chief Executive.

Joe Robertson, leader of the opposition Conservative group, said he supported the increased spending on adult social care and children's services.

However, he said increased parking charges would hurt high streets and small businesses.

For a second year, the council will benefit from an extra £1m in government support - known as the Island deal - to recognise the costs of separation from the mainland.