Council to go 'back to basics' with budget

A council leader has vowed to go "back to basics" with the local authority's budget as it braces itself for millions of pounds worth of savings.

Kirklees Council will publish its proposed budget for 2025/26 next month before agreeing the final budget with all of its councillors in March.

The Labour-led authority, which previously managed to avoid issuing a Section 114 notice of effective bankruptcy, said it still had an overall budget gap of £29.3m.

"There shouldn't be anything people suddenly notice isn't there anymore, but that doesn't mean we aren't tightening our belt," said Carole Pattison.

The proposed budget includes £27.6m worth of cuts to close the gap on the overall black hole of £29.3m.

The savings had included plans to shrink the size of wheelie bins to try to save £500,000 over two years, but the proposals were scrapped after public outcry.

Parking charges have also been introduced at 15 Kirklees car parks which were previously free to use.

In September 2023 the council warned it had to make savings of £47m or issue a Section 114 notice, which indicates its forecast income is insufficient to meet its forecast expenditure for the next year.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Pattison said the administration's priorities were "protecting the vulnerable, getting the basics right, and enabling economic growth".

There were no "big ticket items" in the upcoming budget proposals that would impact the day-to-day lives of Kirklees residents, she said.

"We've had to have a really good look at everything that we do, right across the council and make sure that it is provided in the most efficient way and the best way that responds to the needs of our residents," Pattison said.

"That's what my back to basics is really all about, because the more that we get right and do properly in terms of providing our services, the more that those services will be provided well and people won't necessarily feel that we've trimmed a little bit of fat."

The budget will be published on 3 February ahead of its approval on 5 March.

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