500 signatures reached
To: Hart District Council
Balance the Budget at Hart District Council by stopping unnecessary spending
We urge you to reject the draft budget to be discussed at Council on 25 February unless the budget is balanced and all expenditure on unnecessary projects such as Shapley Heath is stopped.
Why is this important?
Hart District Council is planning to approve a budget for FY21/22 with an in-built £381K deficit. In addition, they are forecasting a further deficit of over £1m in the following year. This is clearly unsustainable.
The budget should not be approved until the following conditions are met:
1) The overall budget is balanced, and doesn't require £381K from reserves.
2) Spending on unnecessary projects is stopped immediately, including Shapley Heath, which will save at least £279K of the projected deficit.
3) The budget for the "Leadership Team" is cut so that together with other savings, the budget at least balances.
4) Further savings are identified in other non-core areas so that the planned cuts to the the Homelessness (GL Code: 44069) and Grants (GL Code: 47010) budgets can at least in part be mitigated.
5) A cross-party committee is established to examine the long-term structural financial deficit and recommend long term solutions. This should established prior to the start of the new financial year and report by 30 June 2021.
The budget should not be approved until the following conditions are met:
1) The overall budget is balanced, and doesn't require £381K from reserves.
2) Spending on unnecessary projects is stopped immediately, including Shapley Heath, which will save at least £279K of the projected deficit.
3) The budget for the "Leadership Team" is cut so that together with other savings, the budget at least balances.
4) Further savings are identified in other non-core areas so that the planned cuts to the the Homelessness (GL Code: 44069) and Grants (GL Code: 47010) budgets can at least in part be mitigated.
5) A cross-party committee is established to examine the long-term structural financial deficit and recommend long term solutions. This should established prior to the start of the new financial year and report by 30 June 2021.
