Ashfield seeks to plug £2m hole
ASHFIELD District Council is set to axe grass cutting services and anti-social behaviour squads to plug a £2m hole in its budget.
It vowed to put on a more ''traditional working-class'' Ashfield Show after overspending by £150,000 on the last event which featured hit pop act the Sugababes.
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STARS: Sugababes at the show
The council had a deficit of around £1.5m for 2009/10 but took £2m from reserves and made savings – meaning it ended up with a surplus. But it now faces an estimated £2.1m deficit for 2010/11 – and officers say this must be cut to zero by 2015.
New plans to save money include slashing grass cutting and weeding on roadsides, verges, open spaces and church yards – which will save £227,000.
It also wants to save £106,000 by merging its £1.7m community protect unit, which fights crime, with its neighbourhood enforcement team, which deals with problems like fly-tipping.
Council leader John Knight said it was all part of reigning in spending to balance the books.
He said: "We are trying to tackle the spending that went on over the past two years. The district auditor ordered us not to continue spending at that rate."
Coun Knight claimed cuts were needed because the Liberal Democrats, who lost control of the council last year, spent too much money.
The council overspent on the Ashfield Show by £150,000. An internal report found spiralling costs could have been avoided.
In August the Sugababes played to 15,000 people on the Saturday of the two-day show in Sutton-in-Ashfield. But high demand meant organisers made Saturday ticket-only. Ticketing caused a £120,000 cost rise, including and staffing, and other factors pushed the cost up to around £330,000.
The report said financial regulations and contract procedures were not complied with, which was a "serious matter."
Coun Knight said: "Next year I want the show to return to a working-class event for people across all age groups."
Liberal Democrat Coun Austin Rathe, former deputy leader, said the Labour party were fabricating a financial crisis for political gain.
He said: "Coun Knight voted for last year's budget that I put together which means he agreed with it. There is no deficit this year, the council has a surplus of £1.3m.
"There is no need to cut services to people."
sarah.firth@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk
5 Comments
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Thursday, January 28 2010, 2:47PM
“What about Tory non-tax and waste policies then, Dave?
That's exactly what County Hall are doing, which is probably at least part of the reason Ashfield is in this situation.”
by The Equaliser, NOTTINGRAD
Thursday, January 28 2010, 2:47PM
“Sack a few at the top where all the Dead Wood resides.
Top officers that are left take a salary cut.
Cut out all expenses . . . they can do it for the love of the Borough and job sorted!”
by Dave, Nottingham
Thursday, January 28 2010, 12:34PM
“Sorry, Mr S, but even Labour councils now realise that their traditional "tax and waste" policies have to be curtailed.”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Thursday, January 28 2010, 10:53AM
“They should be careful about cutting grass cuttings; the minimum required by law is 4.
I am not quite sure what to make of this.
If what the Lib Dems say is true then these cuts are not needed; I would hate for a Labour council to drift in to Tory-style policies of cutting for the sake of cutting. Bringing people like the Sugababes to the Ashfield Show does really what the council want; a mix of attractions to bring people of all ages, including the younger generations out.
I suspect, though, that a possible cause might be an anticipated shortfall as the result of County Hall's offloading of service costs on to Boroughs including Ashfield as part of the funding for that mad council tax freeze.”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Thursday, January 28 2010, 10:49AM
“They must be careful about cutting grass cuttings; the minimum required by law is 4.
If what the Lib Dems say is true then the council does not need to make these cuts. Bringing people like the Sugababes to town brings the town out, meaning a good atmosphere.
But, I expect a possible cause might be the offloading of service costs on to Boroughs like Ashfield by the County Council as part of its funding of that shambolic tax freeze.”