RISING council tax, increased fees for garden lovers and dearer parking are key proposals in the latest budget proposals from the Isle of Wight Council.

But more than £6 million is to be put into children's services.

In papers released today (Wednesday, February 5) the Conservative-led council has announced it had been able to balance its books in the current year, despite a predicted £1.2 million overspend due to pressures in adult social care and children services.

However, to make the necessary £4.5 million savings next year, the council will have to make further changes through cuts, income generation or efficiency savings.

Here are some of the proposals that will go ahead if the budget is approved by full council on February 26:

Council tax to rise by 3.99 per cent, the equivalent of £1.09 a week for a Band C house. Two per cent will go solely to adult social care.

  • The cost of the green garden waste service — which recently signed up 3,000 new members — will rise from £60 to £72, generating £120,000 more.
  • A saving of £321,000 in home-to-school transport — bundling some routes together.
  • The council will buy fewer books for their libraries, saving £15,000
  • A single annual parking permit will be introduced for £600 — cancelling out previous permits which cost £324.50 or £462, with the new permit working for 24 hours or two hours in a short-stay car park.
  • Pay and display charges going up by an average of 20p per hour and the introduction of parking fees along Cowes sea front.
  • Fees will increase across burials and cremations.
  • Reduction of grounds maintenance services provided within parks and cemeteries.
  • The council will move its staff out of Enterprise House, Dodnor Business Park, to other council buildings
  • £1.7m for Disabled Facilities Grants, helping people to remain in their homes

Council leader Cllr Dave Stewart said cuts would only equate to seven per cent of the budget, or £300,000, with no planned redundancies, with the rest of the budget made in other ways.

Cllr Stuart Hutchinson, cabinet member for finance and resources said he had "never known so many uncertainties" about the budget, with the delay of the Fair Funding Review, which the council hope will bring an extra £2.5 million, Brexit and ongoing talks on the Island Deal, which could see £6.4 million put into the Island.

Cllr Stewart thought that being a Conservative council, with a Conservative MP and a Conservative government, will help the Isle of Wight progress and get the funding it deserves, for an exciting year ahead.

Although he praised IW Council finance management staff for being able to balance the budget.

Cllr Hutchinson said there had been some trying issues and with the 'rapidly growing elderly population' on the Island, more money needed to be put into social care.

He said: "In every discussion that has taken place we have been mindful of the impact that a cut in budgets would mean and we have tried to find a balanced and fair way to do this but, of course, there are areas where it has been tough to do so.

"We feel this budget continues to give protection and support for the most vulnerable and balances that need with ensuring we provide continued services for the hard-working taxpayers who fund what we do."

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