A PACKAGE of budget proposals, detailing how Wyre Forest District Council’s money will be spent next year, is set to go before Cabinet members on Tuesday (December 18).

The draft budget for 2019-20 includes a 2.39 per cent council tax rise – the first Wyre Forest residents have seen in three years – a freeze on car parking charges, and plans to invest £30,000 to maintain verges along the district’s highways to bridge funding cuts from Worcestershire County Council.

For residents in Band D properties, the proposed increase equates to an extra £5 per household.

The budget also includes further funding for local organisations and groups, particularly parish and town councils, to take over the running of some assets and services in an effort to reduce the district council’s annual spending.

Further plans to reduce spending include implementing shared services with other councils and public bodies, implementing more digital services and reducing spending on services.

There will be further investment in properties, which will go some way towards meeting a £75,000 rise in the council’s income generation target.

A new fixed term post is proposed to strengthen the council’s environmental protection and enforcement team, with costs partly offset by an increase in income.

Extra money will be invested into the council’s planning enforcement department, which will be funded by “service efficiencies” and increased income from planning fees.

Cabinet will be asked to approve the proposals for the new financial year on Tuesday.

Cabinet member for resources, Councillor Nathan Desmond, said: “The economic climate continues to be challenging and uncertain.

“Many councils have opted to slash spending and some to cut services altogether in order to make financial savings. We have chosen a different route.

“As part of our budget consultation last year, more than 51 per cent of residents who completed our annual budget survey supported, or strongly supported a modest increase in council tax to allow us to continue to invest in local services.

“We have listened to what our residents have said, and carefully weighed up the need to invest in services while keeping any additional financial burden to residents to a minimum.

“I believe this is a fair and balanced budget that will allow us to do just that.

“We will continue to review how we operate, make greater use of technology and digital solutions and take advantage of new income streams to fund services people value the most.”

Wyre Forest District Council leader, Cllr Marcus Hart, added: “We have a very successful record in Wyre Forest for looking for new and innovative ways of protecting services.

“Our Community Localism Fund is not only giving local organisations, town and parish councils greater control over local assets and services, it is also delivering financial savings.

“We are putting a lot of effort into creating new income streams that will bring in extra money to support services and allow us to maintain standards and the quality of life local residents in Wyre Forest deserve and expect.”

Members of the public will have a chance to comment on the proposals in a budget consultation that will launch on Wednesday, December 19 and run until Thursday, January 17.

Residents can comment on the proposals by completing an online budget questionnaire on the council’s website. Paper copies of the survey will also be available in all council buildings and libraries.