Balanced budget underpins investment and regeneration
A balanced budget, continued spending on front-line services and a council tax increase of no more than 1.99 per cent are part of a council’s budget plans for next year.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s draft budget for 2025/26 would allow the continuation of town centre regeneration, investment in Kidsgrove and reducing energy consumption as part of the move towards achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, said:
We have a proud record of balancing the books in difficult financial times whilst keeping Council tax increases low.
Over the last three years our ‘One Council’ improvement programme has produced £1.173 million of savings every year, without compulsory redundancies, which means we can continue to focus on front line services that matter to our residents.
We continue to look at how we can be more efficient and easier for residents to use, while protecting the day-to-day services that our communities rely on, such as collecting waste, making hygiene inspections at cafes and restaurants, and promoting town centres for all to use.”
Well on the way to delivering its promised improvements to Newcastle’s markets, the council is also overseeing the regeneration of the Ryecroft, Astley Place and the Midway, bringing new homes, an aparthotel, 455-place car park and commercial space to the town centre.
Delivery in Kidsgrove includes new joint space for public services, opening up the town centre route to the canal, and bringing new jobs and investment to Chatterley Valley West.
The council is also providing the financial resources to fund legal action against the operators of Walleys Quarry.
Around 95 per cent of residents live in properties in Band A to C. Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s Band C council tax for 2024/25 is £190.60 or £3.67 per week.
Stephen Sweeney, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Finance, Town Centres and Growth, said:
The pressure on local authorities to deliver services on a tight budget is relentless, with wage increases and rising energy and construction costs, however we are legally required to balance our books every year – and we are not allowed to borrow to make the sums add up.
Local government funding was restructured a decade ago with a promised reassessment of the facts and figures it was based on. That review has still not happened so there is an increasing need for councils to be more self-financing by growing the local economy to improve prosperity and generate more income.”