Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet has set out its investment priorities for the coming years, focussing on action to improve transport, grow the economy and empower communities to help build an improved future for all.
The planned investments are designed to build future prosperity and protect local services by generating new income for the Council, growing the local economy and reducing costs through greater efficiency.
Councillor Charles Gerrish (Conservative, Keynsham North), Cabinet Member for Finance & Efficiency, said: “In order to address the financial challenge the Council is facing we’ve set out how we can do things differently, by working more closely with the community and investing now to reduce costs in the future, whilst protecting the services people need.
“This approach will enable us to invest in important local infrastructure projects – which are separate to day to day expenditure but are important to future growth and will help us to generate income and maintain a balanced budget.
“Through economic growth, we will create more local jobs, new affordable homes and provide greater opportunities for young people. At the same time, by attracting new businesses we can maximise the Council’s income through the 100% retention of additional business rates.”
Councillor Tim Warren (Conservative, Mendip), Leader of Council, said: “By taking the difficult decisions needed to balance the Council’s budget, we can continue to invest in important local priorities such as transport, job creation and affordable housing.
“This is all about investing in the services and infrastructure that will be essential to our area both now and in the future – including supporting safer routes for school and reducing congestion.
“Alongside this, we will provide additional support for local people wanting to get more involved in their communities – such as delivering improvements to their neighbourhoods, community initiatives and activities. This in turn can lead to stronger communities, healthier lives and help more people to maintain their independence for longer.
The Cabinet’s plans for investment cover a wide range of initiatives, including:
Improving local transport:
- Investing £4.7m to tackle potholes and improve road and pavement surfaces – including additional Government grant secured through the West of England Devolution agreement.
- Investing £2.2m in local transport improvement projects, road safety initiatives, Safer Routes to School projects, cycle schemes, new bus shelters and improving traffic flows.
- Providing £0.5m to improve traffic flow at the A39 Two-Headed Man junction, as part of the transport improvement programme.
- Earmarking £110,000 to improve the pedestrian environment and public realm in Kingsmead Square.
- Seeking grant funding towards the £2.5m improvement of the public realm on Keynsham High Street and enabling a permanent one-way scheme, should the forthcoming trial prove successful.
- Providing £15,000 to enable a detailed study of home to school transport needs and solutions.
Growing the economy and generating income:
- Investing more than £3.5m to support the delivery of affordable housing schemes across the district as part of the Council’s commitment to delivering new affordable homes to buy and rent across the district.
- Improving connectivity through continued support for rural broadband and the Digital B&NES project to enable the provision of WiFi, and ultrafast and superfast broadband.
- Investing up to £30 million to support the delivery of the Bath and Somer Valley Enterprise Zone – helping create up to 2,500 local jobs at Bath Quays, and a further 400 jobs in the Somer Valley by 2020.
- Generating significant additional income by investing in new commercial property within the West of England and other innovative projects such as the Council’s new housing company which will deliver additional local homes
Supporting communities:
- Investing £18.3 million to expand local Primary School provision and improve and upgrade school buildings.
- Creating a new £92,000 Community Empowerment Fund to enable local areas to bid for match-funding to improve their public realm and support community initiatives.
- Securing £332,000 of Lottery grant funding to help protect, restore and improve Sydney Gardens as part of ongoing £3.6m bid.
- Providing £10,000 to continue with a programme to increase allotment provision in Bath.
- Investing £1.68 million to support the transformation of Midsomer Norton Town Hall to expand and modernise this community facility for the benefit of the town and Somer Valley more widely.
- Over £1 million to deliver the Radstock Healthy Living Centre – combining library, children’s centre and health visitor services.
- Using £718,000 of income from developers to improve parks and green spaces across Bath and North East Somerset.
- Bringing forward proposals for a local energy tariff that will help reduce residents’ and businesses’ energy bills.
- Investing in modern leisure facilities with our partner GLL by improving Bath’s leisure centre and the £3.6m enhancement of the leisure centre in Keynsham.
- Allocating funds to allow the continuation of measures to tackle urban gull problems – including a successful nest-removal programme – and working alongside the Bath Business Improvement District to continue with business waste enforcement measures.
- Investing £1.1 million a year in Disabled Facilities Grants – such as home adaptations and equipment – to support greater independence for elderly and vulnerable residents.
For more details about the budget proposals, see the Council’s Cabinet papers.
The proposed budget will be considered by the Council’s Cabinet on Wednesday 1st February. The Council’s final budget will then be considered by Councillors at a Full Council meeting on Tuesday 14th February.
Councillor Dine Romero (Southdown), the Lib Dem Group Leader, said: “As the Treasury continues to target local government for funding cuts, Councils are being forced to become non-profit businesses, creating their own income streams.
“This ambitious list of capital projects includes many such proposals, including some conceived under the previous, Lib Dem, administration. It’s an optimistic and challenging programme and comes with its own risks – what will happen to public services should the expected income streams not materialise?
“Does the Council have the staff to deliver all these projects after years of back office savings? Of course no income generating project can offset the alarming service cuts, continuing hikes in fees and charges, and rising Council tax rates which are coming our way.”