AS from April 1, it is going to cost you more to die in Monmouthshire, more to park, more to send your children to school and more if you are planning to improve your home, The Beacon can reveal. In fact, life is going to be much dearer for local families if County Councillors agree to the extensive package of measures which have been drawn up by officers working on next year's budget. The authority looks set to increase its budget by 4.85 per cent, which is nearly two per cent above the rate of inflation. It might well have been more, but the authority faced being capped by central government if the increase went above five per cent. In a report which has already gone to councillors, officers have given warnings on the public reaction to many of the measures which have been put forward. The budget deals with social and housing services and regeneration, environment and resources. A look in detail at the 78 page report reveals the many cuts in services which are likely to be implemented in a bid to cut money from the county budget. On social services, it notes the residential inflationary increase should be reduced from ten per cent to just four per cent, commenting: "This increases the difficulty in buying beds at prices the council can afford, resulting in a shortage of beds, an increase in third party top ups and impact on delayed transers of care". On the regeneration and environment budget, officers deal with home to school transport for post 16 year olds. They say the recommendation "attacks inherited deficits by giving a grant of £200 per student and charging the full cost for usage of county transport. Action is needed as it is not acceptable to continue with budgets based more on hope than expectation. "Savings (of £90,000) will accrue from improved operational efficiency but these will not be enough to balance a fundamentally flawed budget". It is also being recommended that the home to school transport for all pupils be looked at, with cost control and income generation. The service whereby bus timetables are posted to residents is to be discontinued and replaced by the making of timetables available electronically. In a bid to reduce costs in tourism centres, premium telephone lines are to be used, despite the fact that officers accept "customer resistance may result". The condition of county roads is likely to deteriorate further if the budget goes through as recommended. The budget is in fact going to be on standstill, with officers pointing out the backlog will continue to mount at £5 million per annum. Officers commented: "Roads condition will continue to deteriorate and members need to understand this". There is a suggestion street lights will be dimmed or even switched off early in the villages, bringing a saving of £50,000, whilst various measures are being recommended on waste. As for car parking, there is sure to be anger at the plan to increase charges by 20 per cent, with £5 extra per fine. "There is going to be significant customer resistance" the report warned. Building control fees are going to increase by three per cent and, controversially, there is going to be an increase in burial fees from £230 to £500. "This will encourage a shift towards sustainable burials, but the scale of the increase is likely to provoke significant public concern" the report added.There have been suggestions that staff might be affected by the swingeing cuts, with some cuts being made and some vacancies not being filled. continued on page 2 Additionally, to raise cash, the authority is planning to sell off some of its assets, including the old Wyesham Infants School site, Raglan Barn Conversion and a 2.5 acres site in Portal Road in Monmouth. The Wyesham site could be used for large scale residential development, while the Portal Road site could be suitable for a number of uses, including hotel and potentially retail. County councillors, who were paid nearly threequarters of a million in this financial year for attendance and travelling allowances, will be asked to vote themselves in a 1.5 per cent increase. The Beacon understands there is concern at County Hall at this year's settlement from central government, which leaves Monmouthshire with less funding per head of population than any other region in Wales. The county will get £1,034 per head, with the average funding throughout Wales being £1,253 per head and the county at the head of the table, Blaenau Gwent, getting £1,465. Traders leaders in Usk, Monmouth and Chepstow are already anxiously scanning the proposed budget and meetings have been held. The Monmouthshire Electors Community Pressure Group has also written to the County Council, with copies going to Ministers at the Welsh Assembly, expressing concern at the impact of the proposed budget measures. "Massive cuts might have to be made in public services, including those affecting the very young and the very old" said the letter.
