Positive finances have given Eden council the opportunity to improve services and tackle the area’s big issues, its political leader has revealed.
Solutions to issues like fly-tipping and dog fouling will be funded in Eden District Council’s upcoming budget.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Councillor Virginia Taylor said: “One of the ill wins of COVID-19 is the Government haven’t taken away some of the packages of money from the treasury we were expecting.
“Four years ago we were expecting to get virtually northing but they’ve carried on giving us the bits and pieces like the rural homes grant. We’re not having to make massive savings, we’re very well managed financially so we can look at improving services rather than cutting them.”
Fly-tipping at overflowing recycling sites is an annual issue at this time of year, Cllr Taylor said that the Eden Council leadership are conscious of this and have made provision to tackle it in the upcoming budget.
CCTV is set to be installed to monitor the existing bring sites in Penrith: “It’s to tackle fly-tipping and irresponsible rubbish leaving but where we’re going to site them, we’ll have to see.
“The other thing is dog poo is a big issue, always has been and we’ll be looking to get machines to do some of the playing fields. We have put some money aside to address that one as well.”
Cllr Taylor said: “COVID has cost us a lot and cost our staff a lot because some of them were doing two, three jobs and some of them still are. The Government, thanks where it’s due, has recognised how important local government has been in dealing with COVID.”
Eden Council’s cabinet are set to discuss the budget in a public meeting on Tuesday January 18 at Penrith Town Hall.
Council coffers will have to account for recommended improvements to its planning department set out in the Development Management Review carried out by the Local Government Association.
Cllr Taylor asked for the report to be carried to identify how the planning process could be improved at Eden.
She said: “Planning applications have gone up 30 per cent in COVID, not just here but everywhere so there’s 30 per cent more work for the team to do, we’ve got to try and match those challenges in demand.”
The next budget will also set out plans for growth in the area with Eden Council’s economic development strategy which Cllr Taylor calls “really forward looking”.
