Council sets budget for coming year

High Peak Borough Council has set its budget for providing essential services at £10.8m for the coming year.

A Council Tax increase of 1.9% has also been agreed - setting Band D payments at £195.40 for 2020/21 which equates to a rise of £3.64 or seven pence per week.

Executive Councillor for Finance and Corporate Services, Councillor Alan Barrow, added: "Achieving value for money whilst continuing to provide, and improve, the high quality services our residents and businesses have a right to expect has been at the forefront of our spending plans and priorities for the coming year.

"We have been able to keep the council tax increase as low as possible as a result of responsible and prudent approach we take to spending public funds. This has seen us achieve savings of over £5 million arising from our strategic alliance with Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.

"Further savings of £200,000 from the establishment of our waste collection company Alliance Environmental Services and £400,000 from reviewing our leisure services contracts, including the operation of the Pavilion Gardens in Buxton, and we will continue to take an active approach to identifying further opportunities to save money and introduce new efficiencies."

The Borough Council collects Council Tax on behalf of the County Council, Police and Fire Authorities but only spends 10% of the total.

This expenditure is used to provide services including affordable housing, waste and recycling, street cleaning, leisure centres, parks maintenance, support for local businesses, crime prevention activities, benefits services and elections.

The budget will also include allocation of spend on the climate emergency once the Council's working group has prioritised and costed plans.

March 11 2020