Carlisle City Council set its budget for 2020/21 last night (Tuesday, 4 February) at a Special Full Council meeting.
Councillor Gareth Ellis, Portfolio holder for Finance, Governance and Resources proposed the Executive’s budget. The Leader of the Council, Cllr John Mallinson seconded it.
The council has successfully achieved or identified over £9million in transformational savings since 2010/11 and now have a solid financial base in order to set their 2020/21 budget. A revised savings requirement has been calculated of a reduction from £1.130million to £0million in 2020/21; £1million in 2021/22 increasing to £1.850million in 2023/24.
Leader of the Council, Cllr John Mallinson, said: “We continue to focus on the priorities of the Council. Our balanced budget puts the Council in a good position to take forward these priorities and support our core services. We are forward-thinking authority that wants the best for our city, our residents and local business.”
Councillor Gareth Ellis, Portfolio holder for Finance, Governance and Resources said: “This year we are consolidating with a zero cuts budget and keeping council tax for band D to an inflationary 10p a week increase. We are driving investment in the new bypass to the south, investing in our railway station to improve, access, parking and public transport and working with the University to bring them into the city centre to revitalise English Street and the Viaduct. Our ambition is to make Carlisle the capital of the Borders region.”
A copy of the budget is available at http://www.carlisle.gov.uk/Council/Council-and-Democracy/Budget