Mansfield District Council has agreed its annual budget and medium term financial strategy.
The 2021/22 budget, approved by councillors at Full Council on Wednesday 27 January, is designed to help the council deliver its future ambitions under the priority areas of Aspiration, Growth, Wellbeing and Place.
A total of £830,000 in savings have been made out of a net budget requirement of £10.6m in order to balance the budget at a time of increased demand on services, combined with a significant reduction in income due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Additional one-off government grants have helped to balance the budget, along with savings from a reduction in the number of printed issues of the council magazine My Mansfield, a reduction in Cabinet members and a 2.7% increase in Council Tax.
The increase means those living in Band A properties will pay a total of £129.81 - just 35p a day for all the services provided by Mansfield District Council.
The council's share of the Council Tax bill is about 10% with the remaining 90% that residents pay going to Nottinghamshire County Council and other county services, such as the police and fire service.
Executive Mayor Andy Abrahams said: “It is never an easy decision to raise Council Tax but this 2.7% increase will bring in an extra £167,000 to help maintain vital council services in the district.
“For the vast majority of our residents, who live in Band A properties, it means they will pay an extra £3.33 for the whole year, equivalent to just over 6p each week.”
Despite funding constraints, the council is committed to starting work on 99 affordable and council homes in the next year, as part of a five-year aspirational target to build more than 200 new council homes in the district by 2023.
The Mayor said: “As well providing much needed affordable homes, the construction of them will help to stimulate the economy at this very difficult time, supporting local businesses and providing work and training opportunities for local people.
“These homes will be eco-friendly and built to a high quality to future-proof them for new environmental housing standards to be brought in the years ahead.”
Among the items approved by the Full Council were some increases in fees and charges, mostly in line with inflation.
There was also a 1.7% increase in council home rents, in line with Government guidelines. Any income from council rent goes towards improving and building council housing within the district.
Cllr Craig Whitby, Portfolio Holder for Corporate and Finance, said: “We have tried to spread the burden of balancing the budget by making small charges such as some targeted increases in some fees and charges.
"There will also be a reduction in the number of printed editions of My Mansfield residents’ magazine from three to two a year.”
Although Mansfield District Council collects Council Tax, it does so on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Notts Fire and Rescue Authority (and Warsop Parish Council if you live in Warsop).
The total Council Tax bill will be confirmed on 9 March once all the elements are known.
Only 10p in every £1 paid by Mansfield residents comes to the district council; 90p goes to the county council and other organisations.
The Mansfield District Council share of the bill, provides residents with a wide range of vital services. They include:
- Emptying 10,000 bins daily
- Recycling and composting 13,200 tonnes of waste each year
- Sweeping 2,500 tonnes of rubbish from 579 miles of streets
- Clearing 1,847 incidents of fly-tipping, at a cost of about £103,000.
- Managing and maintaining 150 parks and open spaces, covering 300 hectares
- Preventing people from becoming homeless and working with partner organisations to provide accommodation and specialist support for those living on the streets.
- Leisure centres.
- Providing Neighbourhood Wardens and a 24/7 CCTV scheme to keep the district safe.