Cramlington Town Council Budget Consultation 2023/2024

We are asking Cramlington residents for their views on the Town Council’s proposed budget for next year.

The Town Council is made up of 12 elected councillors and is responsible for a range of local community and environmental services including parks and playgrounds, allotments and flower beds. We strive to improve quality of life and community well-being in Cramlington and provide wide support to voluntary, community and charitable groups. Also, a key area of our work is to provide activities for young people, such as youth clubs. A further important role for the Town Council is to keep residents informed of issues that matter to them and to represent your views to agencies proposing changes that affect you.

The Town Council levies a “precept” which forms part of the wider council tax charge levied by the County Council. From April next year the Town Council is proposing that its precept should increase by 3% which is significantly below the current rate of inflation. This means that for a Band D property, the precept will increase from £116.44 to £119.95, an extra £3.51 per year.

But most properties in Cramlington fall within Bands A-C, so most households will pay less than this figure.

This decision reflects the Town Council’s concern over the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on many families. We are able to limit our proposed increase to 3% by making savings in a number of areas, including administration costs. But through careful management of our finances, we are still in a position to deliver a number of important projects in 2023 whilst maintaining or improving our most essential services.

In recent years we have redirected our resources towards supporting people, initially through the pandemic and now through the cost-of-living crisis. We’ve achieved this by providing a focal point for supporting voluntary and community activities and financial support when it’s needed. This area of our work will continue to be a priority. But we also have a range of new schemes for next year including:

• Youth clubs at Beacon Hill, Northburn and Eastfield and school holiday activities
• A new playground and a dog park and a new outdoor gym facility at Alexandra Park
• A dementia garden and supervised play area at Cumbria Road
• A bus shelter improvement and replacement programme
• £50,000 for the maintenance and improvement of playparks

 

As part of our push to make savings we have re-organised our grounds maintenance team so work previously contracted out will be undertaken by our own people ensuring better value for money.

Do you have thoughts about what the town council’s priorities should be next year? Do you agree with our budget proposals? If so let us know.

If you wish to comment, please contact us.

You can do this via email at: admin@cramlingtontowncouncil.gov.uk

Or through Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CramlingtonTownCouncil

Please ensure your comments reach us by 30^th December