Radical plans for a “once in a generation” overhaul of cash-strapped Cheshire East Council have been submitted to the government, writes Belinda Ryan.
The plan aims to help plug a £100 million black hole in the authority’s budget as chiefs admit the authority can “no longer do everything” and that some services will disappear altogether.
The council’s corporate policy committee approved a transformation plan, which the authority called an “important milestone” in its attempt to become financially stable.
CEC needs to save £100m by 2028 to balance its books and was recently granted exceptional financial support from the government of £17.6m.
But one of the key requirements for receiving the emergency funding was to produce an improvement and transformation plan and submit it to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
In the programme, six areas have been identified and over the coming months the council said it will develop business cases for each one.
The six programme areas outline financial benefits of between £59m-£91m with an additional £14m from digital projects.
These focus on:
Workplace: including looking at how the organisation will operate in the future.
Social care: considering how the council supports children and adults who have the highest need for social care services.
Place: seeking to transform the council’s approach to improving our local economy, maximising the council’s assets and reviewing its approach to some place-based services, such as exploring automatic number plate recognition enforcement.
Early intervention, prevention and customer: supporting residents to become more resilient, self-sufficient and avoid crisis, alongside managing long-term demand for services.
Digital: delivering digital projects that will benefit the council and residents through technology.
Special projects: projects linked to the financial and strategic objectives of the council.
Council leader Nick Mannion, said: “It is not just about reduced spending – it’s about making meaningful impact for those who need our services, while addressing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, whilst living within our means.
“This will lead to changes in some areas and the council reducing, or even stopping, some services.
“We simply do not have the money to do everything, everywhere any more.”
At a recent council meeting, a report revealed council officers and consultants had identified 100 opportunities with potential savings in the range of £59m to £91m over the next four financial years.
Some are in areas the council is already looking at, such as three-weekly black bin collections and remodelling library provision.
Others include a hike in fees and charges for council services and a review of properties that have been renovated or extended to uplift council tax bands.
Another aim is to cut the use of high-cost agency staff.
Cllr Mannion said that as leader of the council he “recognised” that transformation on the scale identified represented a “new and difficult challenge”.
He added: “I absolutely believe that the transformation plan represents a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine the organisation and how we operate.
“We must listen to and reset the expectations between the council and our residents and modernise council services, at pace.”
You can view CEC’s “transformation plan” here
@R Evens,I sincerely hope your right,I would love to see a vibrant town centre, as you rightly say the cost of living crisis has hit hard,but by putting up taxes further to pay for for this councils spending, which includes parking fees seems at the very least short sighted.
My example of the carpark in Crewe was used as an example of the Councils inability to react quickly to a changing environment, there are plenty more I could have used ,will make sure I do next time.
Kind regards
Barry
Barry the car park was not built in isolation, it is part of the new bus station which is superb, there were to be shops designed around this yet the cost of living and other issues have got in the way, therefore it is on hold for the foreseeable future, what would you prefer to do given the green light that was on a couple of years ago, is now well and truly stuck on red, enough of this car park talk already, it can reinvent itself by running market stalls, trade exhibitions, car showrooms, music festivals and pop up theatre and many other ideas I am sure
This statement worries me greatly – “Others include a hike in fees and charges for council services and a review of properties that have been renovated or extended to uplift council tax bands” – Hike in fees for council services – indeed Council Tax rates will be increased hugely, regardless of whether the people of Cheshire East can afford it AND probably getting far less for the privilege. Strange terminology for wording ‘renovated’ Surely nearly every person buying a home does some form of renovation ie: new kitchen, new bathroom, changes windows etc etc – Think that wording needs to be defined on how CEC will approach Renovated or extended to uplift council tax bands. SO that is how CEC is going to plug the 100m blackhole. How about not giving yourselves 1.38 million in expenses as a good gesture to the public of Cheshire East, who are already cash strapped. Indeed Liebour Government will sanction CEC intentions.
Having downloaded and read the 64 page report I have to compliment CEC that there are no links to this, that and the other, everything is in one document. It introduces a lot of new reporting terminology eg “deep dive” etc. It is the forerunner to other reports which hopefully will be in the same format. The graphics are good
It outlines the problems and is I believe making a case for other staff to be employed to see the transition through. I would also suggest that readers visit the advising consultants website to see the LA’s they have worked for – Birmingham is the nearest to CEC that I noted. Let us watch this space as it develops and locals contribute. Perhaps the PR machinery could keep us all informed as it progresses.
The council has never listened to its residents, you just use us to pay for your ineptitude, multistorey carpark in the middle of a waste land is just one of many great ideas you have come up with.