Nottingham City Council: Cost-cutting budget backed by councillors

The authority said inflation and energy costs had put extra strain on its finances

Councillors have backed cost-cutting measures which aim to plug a £32.2m funding gap in their authority's finances.

Nottingham City Council said its plans would deliver £29m of savings for its 2023-24 budget.

As well as cutting the equivalent of 110 full-time posts, changes to adult social care and a council tax increase of up to 5% are also being planned.

Senior councillors backed the plans at a meeting on Tuesday.

The city council said rising inflation had combined with soaring energy costs and a nationally-agreed pay increase for staff to put extra strain on its finances.

In response, the authority is proposing to claw back £29m with a programme of money-saving measures, including:

• Changes to adult social care, including more independent living support instead of residential or nursing care

• Reviewing fees and charges for parking, cremation and burials, leisure centres and cafes

• Reviewing grants to community groups, community centres and cultural organisations

• Withdrawing the Shopmobility service at Nottingham's Victoria Centre

• Stopping collection of household bins put out on the wrong day

• Short-term mothballing of two floors of its Loxley House headquarters, pending a review of options for its offices and depots

• Increasing tariffs for EnviroEnergy, its pre-pay heating scheme

The Labour-run authority's finances are being closely monitored by an advisory board, installed by the government following the collapse of Robin Hood Energy in September 2020.

The council said even after the proposals were approved, a further £3.2m in savings would need to be found by February.

Budget plans will now go to a public consultation until the end of January.

Deputy leader Adele Williams said the council had examined where it could become more efficient

The City Council's Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance, Adele Williams, said: "Most councils up and down the country are facing significant financial difficulties, and once again we are faced with some really difficult decisions about how we balance our budget next year.

"We have also looked in this budget process for ways in which we can become more efficient and effective with each pound we spend for Nottingham.

"Demand continues to grow for vital services such as adult social care, which now makes up over a third of the council's entire budget.

"Proposals we approved today include making efficiencies by providing these services differently, along with savings from a range of other council services."