THERE will be no increase in Council Tax from Lancashire County Council.

Savings have been agreed by the council totalling almost £24 million, rising to over £36 million in a full year.

These were agreed today (Thursday) by councillors for the new financial year 2010/11.

The budget aims to protect vital services for residents while reducing the amount of money spent by the county council on running its operations.

Around £22 million of these savings are achieved by being more efficient and will be made without affecting the essential services people need and rely on. The remainder are made by recovering more costs or with small reductions in the lowest impact areas.

Geoff Driver, leader of the county council, said: "This is the freeze in the Council Tax that we promised the people of Lancashire.

"It is surely an inescapable fact that whoever wins the General Election, the public sector generally, and probably local government in particular, face huge financial challenges. This budget leaves the county council as well prepared as it could possibly be to face the inevitable financial difficulties that lie ahead.

"It is based upon the simple yet fundamental principle that the county council exists for one purpose and one purpose only: to serve the people of Lancashire."

The county proportion of Council Tax will now stay the same as last year with an average for Band D properties of £1,108.30.

The final Council Tax bill includes figures from the county council, district councils, the combined fire authority and the police authority - along with town and parish councils, where appropriate.

Services provided by the county council include services for older people, public transport, foster care, roads, economic development, young people's services, waste management, trading standards and libraries.

County council savings will be achieved by reshaping services, reducing bureaucracy, spending less on accommodation and investing more in new technology.

Examples of the savings in 2010/11 include:
• £1.5 million saved by reducing the number of children and young people who are looked after outside Lancashire, in expensive agency placements, and placing them with our own carers
• £3 million saved through more efficient management structures in the council's Environment, Office of the Chief Executive and Adult and Community Services directorates
• £1 million reduction in the council's public liability provision for highways related "slips and trips", following investment in preventative work to reduce claims
• £700,000 less expenditure on office accommodation
• £400,000 saved by improving the efficiency and increasing the capacity of our intensive rehabilitation services. These improvements will mean more people can benefit from the service and will help more older people to continue living independent lives.

Changes in the makeup of the population, new legislation and uncertainties over the government grant mean that the county council will need to save between £48 million and £110 million over the following three years.
 

18th February 2010