Gosport Borough Council's budget for the next 12 months will preserve frontline services and boost the local economy!
A meeting of the full council approved a budget for the 2018/19 financial year, which sets out a council tax rise of less than 10p per week for a typical band B Gosport home.
Cllr Hook outlined priority schemes planned for the next two years, including:
- coastal flood and erosion schemes at Forton, Alverstoke and
- Seafields.
- a new café and toilet block in the new Alver Valley play area
- upgraded play areas such as the one in Grove Road, and a new
- splashpark at Lee-on- the-Solent
- improvements to council homes
- more facilities for people with disabilities
- more support for homeless people and rough sleepers
- a garden centre in the Alver Valley
- regeneration of Gosport waterfront and the Daedalus site
Cllr Mark Hook, Leader of the Council, told councillors:
"We continue to deliver for the people of Gosport based on affordability, prudence and sustainability. This budget delivers on all three principles and in doing so it will maintain all front line services and put in place significant funding to help create economic growth throughout the borough, delivering jobs and prosperity to our area despite the reduction in government funding.
We will continue to deliver quality services by Gosport staff, to offer value for money for our residents. We will strive for efficiency savings delivered by Gosport councillors and look to reduce the level of bureaucracy in the town hall."
On top of savings already achieved, Gosport would need save another £825,000 by the year 2021/22, he said.
A 2.99% increase in Gosport's share of the overall council tax bill was needed. But he pointed out that for a band D property (regarded as the standard measure) the amount of council tax had increased by only £16.38 in nine years. In the same period, the main government grant to the council had shrunk from more than £7m to about £300,000.
He added:
"I believe our overall current financial position is both sound and robust. I am determined to deliver the best services possible at the lowest price and to keep the bills for our residents down to a minimum.
"There will be no cuts or reductions to frontline services, the voluntary sector will receive a 2.5% increase to deliver services for our community and there continues to be substantial investment for regeneration in our borough to create jobs and improve prosperity."