Budget announcement 2009-10

Tameside’s part of this year’s Council Tax was set at a 3.15 per cent increase at Tuesday’s budget announcement meeting keeping it in line with inflation.

With the fire and police precepts, this figure was increased to 3.58 per cent, still well below the five per cent ceiling imposed on all local authorities by central government.

But this year’s budget took on extra importance, as the local authority looks towards helping local residents and businesses through the current world economic downturn.

Executive Council Leader, Cllr Roy Oldham signalled the council’s intent when he said: “This year’s budget for all councils should have significant factors that are aimed at helping safeguard local jobs and I believe that local government has a duty to its residents and businesses to do so.”

Because the council has been prudent with the handling of its finances it finds itself in a strong position to take the necessary action to make it happen.

The theme of this year’s budget announcement was based on the people’s priorities - safe, green, clean, learning, prosperous streets, a programme of intense internal works, a return savings from managed collections to the borough’s residents as well as a low Council Tax rise.

In other words this will means funds for:

• The people’s priorities
• A massive injection of capital for local work
• A sustained broad borough-wide capital programme
• A return of financial savings to householders gained from managed bin collection.

One of the keystones of this year’s announcement is the help the council are offering local businesses get through the credit crunch.

Called Tameside Works First the campaign is designed to offer as much help and support to local traders as possible to help them survive the crunch by creating schemes of work that they can bid for. ‘A Vision’ team drawn from key members of the local business community will also be established to think of new ways of beating the credit crunch.

In an innovative move the council has adapted its constitution so that small and medium sized businesses can have their bills for council work paid in 10 days as oppose to the current 30 day target.

Another highlight in the budget speech was the announcement of a scheme called ‘Cash in the Bin’. Under the plan the money saved through managed collections will be used to put towards the police precepts, provide free parking on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays on all council car parks after 3pm to help the retail trade and £200,000 for local community groups.

Deputy Council Leader Cllr Joe Kitchen said at the budget meeting: “Our priorities are and must be on supporting our own community. So our focus will be on helping small and medium-sized businesses to survive and thrive.

“This budget reflects and recognises the majority of Tameside people’s priorities and requirements. It is essentially a ‘people’s budget’ providing improvement to the area and to services.

“We are doing well but there is still so much more to do on this never ending improvement programme of betterment.”