Burnham-On-Sea residents are being invited by Somerset Council to give feedback on the authority’s proposed cutbacks to try and find £100m to avoid going effectively bankrupt.
Cuts to services totalling £35m have been proposed, as well as a possible 10% increase in people’s council tax bills.
The council’s budget consultation runs until 22 January and residents in the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge area can take part to have their say. On 20th February, the authority will vote on its budget for 2024/25. It comes after Somerset Council declared a financial emergency in November 2023.
It had been expecting an estimated budget gap for 2024/25 of £42m but said in November that the forecast had increased to £100m. The council adds the costs of delivering services, particularly adult social care, were rising significantly faster than income. It also blames inflation and higher interest rates.
It is trying to avoid effectively going bust and being served a Section 114 notice. The council would lose the ability to commit to new spending and take decisions if it was issued with the notice.
It says this has also caused problems as it has come to light that all the previous councils managed their budgets in different ways. The council has proposed £35.2m of proposed savings.
The propsoed cutbacks include shutting five of Somerset’s 16 recycling centres, ending council funding for public toilets and CCTV, cutting highway maintenance and closing two tourism visitor centres. Subsidies for bus services will be reviewed.
A contract with the RNLI to provide beach lifeguards at Burnham-on-Sea and Brean could be stopped saving £35,000 a year.
CCTV cameras in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge could be switched off to save funds.
The council is also proposing a 9.99% rise in its share of council tax bills, although the council needs Government’s permission to increase council tax by more than 4.99%.
A spokesperson for Somerset Council said: “We understand there will be concerns. To be clear, no decisions have been made and will not be until the budget is set at full council on 20 February.”
“Somerset Council, and councils up and down the country, are in an unprecedented position due to the rising costs faced by local authorities across the country, largely driven by costs of social care.”
“If we cannot set a balanced budget, government commissioners will do it for us, without the local knowledge or concern about the longer-term. These are not things that we would ever want to be considering.”
“We want hear people’s views. Please take part in the council’s budget consultation which runs until 22nd January.”
