West Lancashire Borough Council agrees budget for 2022-23
The council recognises that households will be facing unprecedented pressure in the next financial year, particularly with food and energy bills significantly increasing.
Picture by PA
Submitted by West Lancashire Borough Council
West Lancashire Borough Council has agreed to its budget for 2022-23, which will enable it to maintain its services in the coming year.
A council tax rise of less than 2.5 per cent, funding for the most vulnerable and money for investment have been agreed by councillors following a full council meeting.
The budget has been passed following cross-party agreement initiated by the Labour finance portfolio holder Councillor Adam Yates.
Coupled with two motions put forward by Councillor David Whittington (Conservative) and Councillor Adrian Owens (Our West Lancashire) enabling the council to secure spending commitments for the next 12 months, including:
- £260k for a council tax discretionary relief scheme to support the most vulnerable in society in the current cost of living crisis
- A £101k increase in planning enforcement resources
- £88k to support the business & visitor economy and to attract inward investment
- £68k investment in new litter bins
- £39k increase in environmental spending to support enforcement and education projects
- £25k to support Dial-a-Ride service
- £22k to enhance the environment at key gateways around the Borough
- £6k to fund four community environmental improvements
These initiatives will take place alongside other projects already in progress, such as the development of Skelmersdale Town Centre, which is due to open in spring of this year.
Councillor Adam Yates, portfolio holder for resources and transformation, said: "I am proud of the way we have risen to the many challenges presented to us over the last financial year and of the consistent support and services the council has been able to provide to residents and businesses across the Borough despite very real difficulties.
"I am particularly pleased to have secured cross-party support to set aside £260k for a council tax discretionary relief scheme to support the most vulnerable in society in the current cost of living crisis.
"We recognise that our local households will be facing unprecedented pressure in the next financial year, particularly with food and energy bills significantly increasing and therefore we are keeping council tax increases to below 2.5 per cent - a decision that received unanimous support at full council.
"Officers have also been working hard to support some of our most financially vulnerable residents with 554 people awarded £136,000 from the Government's Household Support Fund so far.
"This fund has been crucial in helping families with essential items over the winter period who may otherwise have struggled to pay essential bills or put food on the table in what is becoming a national cost of living crisis.
"We have additionally issued over £41m in COVID grants to businesses to help them weather the storm of the pandemic and Brexit uncertainty with the most recent Economic Recovery Grant scheme seeing council officers helping businesses to find ways of running their operations more efficiently in the current economic climate."
