Lib Dem Budget Plans: A better deal for Norwich

5.56.42pm GMT Tue 23rd Feb 2010

At tonight's budget meeting, the Liberal Democrats will propose amendments to support small business and economic development, introduce 20mph speed limits, increase neighbourhood devolution, keep the council's call-centre 'in-house', and set a lower council tax rise.

Commenting on the proposals Cllr Brian Watkins, Liberal Democrat Group Leader on Norwich City Council, said:

"Norwich is the county's capital and an important commercial centre, yet Labour is planning to cut economic development at City Hall. In the current economic climate we think that this is totally unacceptable. Small businesses are the lifeblood of the local economy and as a council we should be proactive in supporting them. Local businesses keep money in the local economy and evidence shows that new small firms grow at a faster rate than larger companies, creating more local employment opportunities."

The group will propose an additional £100,000 for Economic Development work including a £30,000 Enterprise Fund to which local businesses can apply directly for council funding.

'It's not quite Dragon's Den, but the enterprise fund will give small businesses the opportunity to access funding. As a council, we need to do practical things to help local business such as financing, increasing public sector procurement opportunities, ensuring that all eligible businesses are getting rate relief, and offering advice and support. Norwich is on the threshold of great change, and I think that it is also important to retain a significant marketing and profile raising role within the council,'' said Cllr Watkins. With a possible unitary restructure pending, two one year fixed term posts will be created to oversee the additional work proposed.

The group plan to spend £20,000 on rolling out 20mph speed limits in residential areas:

"As part of our continued efforts to make Norwich clean, green and safe, Liberal Democrats are determined to roll out this measure. Evidence elsewhere shows that it can make roads safer and encourage walking and cycling." said Cllr Watkins

The group plan to devolve more money to local neighbourhood groups.

"As a council we should be devolving power and budgets down to the people. Residents will often know better that council officers where money can be spent in their neighbourhoods. We need to put words into action and start giving residents real power." said Cllr Watkins.

The group will propose that the council's call-centre be kept 'in house' rather than outsourced to private contractors:

"There are very real concerns about outsourcing the call centre at this stage. The council needs to be responding to these and monitoring progress with new contractors. We therefore propose keeping the call-centre in house at the moment," said Cllr Watkins.

The group will also propose a lower council tax rise that the Labour administration. The proposals will be financed by scrapping IT and other reviews and freezing councillor allowances:

"Spending hundreds of thousands on internal reviews is not right at the present time. We need to wait and see what the outcome with the unitary situation is because this council might not even exist, in its present form, in 12 months time. We also feel that in the current economic climate it would be wrong for councillors to take an inflationary rise in their allowances. These savings will help finance a lower council tax rise than Labour are proposing." said Cllr Watkins.

Full details of the proposals:

Total savings of £253,500 would be met by:

Removing the Phase 2 Accommodation Review (EF20) £100,000

Removing the Strategic ICT Review (EF50) £50,000

Freezing Members Allowances/Not taking the inflation rise (EF48) £3,500

Assets Improvement Plan and Review (EF22) £100,000

£253,000 would be spent on:

£100,000 Economic and Development Budget

Staff - retention of part time marketing post, and addition of new Economic Development post with specific responsibility for small business development. Both one year fixed term appointments.

Additional economic development resources including an 'Enterprise Fund' for business of £30,000 to be managed by the new Economic Development Officer in conjunction with other senior staff within city council's Economic Development Unit.

Neighbourhood Funds: An increased grant to the Neighbourhood Teams/Officers of £5,000 per neighbourhood. (£20,000).

Road Safety £30,000 to begin implementation of a blanket 20mph strategy.

Keeping the call centre in-house (rather than outsourcing to Connaught) for the first year of the contract.

A reduction in the rise in council tax to a 1,8% increase.