Liverpool City Council has approved its budget for 2023/24.
Budget savings amounting to £49 million were approved by elected members at Budget Council last night.
Some of the toughest decisions being considered were removed from the proposals, including:
- Reducing the number of One Stop Shops
- Reducing or ceasing the Benefits Maximisation Service
- Removing discretionary Council Tax relief for foster carers
- Reducing support available through the Council Tax Support Scheme.
Alternative funding has been secured to mitigate a further three proposals – Discretionary Housing Payments, Liverpool Citizens Support Scheme and No Recourse to Public Funds – so any decisions on these options have been delayed for a year.
The budget gap of £49 million has been reached with proposals including:
Income generation – improving the Council Tax collection rate; increasing rents for council buildings/assets; extending the times of operation for on-street/council car parks.
Transforming services – introducing a new model of assessment and care in Adult Services to remove duplication; reducing reliance on B&Bs for people who find themselves homeless and the introduction of an early help and family safeguarding model to support families; placing fewer children in private residential children’s homes.
Savings – reviewing libraries and Lifestyles Fitness Centres; reducing funding available through the Cultural Arts Investment Programme and finding an operator to run the Cruise Liner Terminal.
Council Tax has been increased by the maximum 4.99%, which will help us to protect other valued services, with 2% of the rise will be ring fenced specifically for spending on adult social care.
