Introduction
The council is facing tough decisions to balance next year’s budget due to Government cuts, inflation and increasing demand for services such as social care as more residents require support. From 2010 to the end of 2023-24 the council will have saved £369m due to Government cuts and unavoidable cost pressures. Over the next three years it needs to save £59.7m in total - £15.4m of it next year. Proposals for 2024-25 being consulted upon include:
- Raising council tax by 2.99% in line with Government expectations
- Applying 2% increase in the Government’s Adult Social Care Precept
- Taken together these will add £95.78 per year to a Band D property or £63.85 per year to a Band A property
- Reduce subsidy to schools for school meals service saving £537k
- Delete vacant posts where there is no service impact saving £962k
- Increase charges for replacement wheelie bins, garden waste collection, parking permits and car parking to better manage the highway network raising £1.14m
- Reduce non-essential spending on telecoms, mobile phone contracts and repairs and maintenance among other services saving almost £718k
- No longer print the residents’ magazine Citylife twice a year and switch to online publication saving £49k
- Redesign our homelessness provision while commissioning a new service reducing beds and saving £822k while meeting statutory duties
- Close the City Library at 5pm on Tuesdays instead of 7pm saving £30k
Next year the council is forecast to spend £279.3m on day-to-day services and £155m on capital projects such as roads, houses, schools and other assets that support the economy and create employment opportunities. Money for capital projects cannot legally be spent on services.
We have published our proposals and want to know what you think. You can do this by watching this video, reading the proposals, then giving us your views on them by completing a short survey (see below), or by emailing us at: letstalk@newcastle.gov.uk. We have also produced a PDF copy of our questions, which can be printed off, completed, and returned to us at: FREEPOST Let’s Talk if this is easier for you or someone you know.
You can also find an introduction to the consultation in Easy Read format here:
You can also find an introduction to the consultation in Easy Read format here:
- Budget Consultation 2024-2024 Easy Read Introduction Word
- Budget Consultation 2024-2024 Easy Read Introduction PDF
We are required by law both to set a balanced budget, and to consult people about what we propose to do. We want to know what you think of our proposals and encourage you to have your say - your opinions count, so please tell us what you think.
What we would like you to do
You can find out more about our budget proposals as a whole by reading our budget documents (see the list below). When you've done this, you can take part in our short survey to give your views on our budget proposals as a whole - what impact you think they will have on the Newcastle area, and any suggestions you have for how we can save money or generate income: Your views on our budget as a whole
We also have 11 proposals - listed below as 'Integrated Impact Assessments' - about changes to aspects of adult social care, children's social care, waste management, crisis support, and Council Tax & the adult social care precept. We would like to hear any comments you have to make specifically about these proposals - click on the links beneath the 'Integrated Impact Assessments' heading to give your views.
We also have 11 proposals - listed below as 'Integrated Impact Assessments' - about changes to aspects of adult social care, children's social care, waste management, crisis support, and Council Tax & the adult social care precept. We would like to hear any comments you have to make specifically about these proposals - click on the links beneath the 'Integrated Impact Assessments' heading to give your views.
Here are our key budget documents which set out our proposals:
Our medium-term financial plan for 2024-25 to 2026-27
Appendix 1 - Summary of 2024-2025 savings proposals
Appendix 6 - Summary of directorate budgets
Appendix 10 – Consultation and communication plan
A full list of our budget documents can be found here: 2024-25 budget and medium-term financial plan for 2024/25 – 2026/27 period
Our website for our budget proposals is here: Delivering for Our Communities: Our Medium-Term Financial Plan for 2024-2025 to 2026-27
Appendix 1 - Summary of 2024-2025 savings proposals
Appendix 6 - Summary of directorate budgets
Appendix 10 – Consultation and communication plan
A full list of our budget documents can be found here: 2024-25 budget and medium-term financial plan for 2024/25 – 2026/27 period
Our website for our budget proposals is here: Delivering for Our Communities: Our Medium-Term Financial Plan for 2024-2025 to 2026-27
Integrated Impact Assessments
We have undertaken Integrated Impact Assessments (IIAs) for proposals that will affect services in 2024- 2025. What this means is that we have assessed each proposal in terms of what impact it will have on different groups of people, on local businesses and local areas, and on our environment. Follow these links to see the proposals, and give your views on them:
- IIA Council Tax and Adult Social Care Precept
- IIA Crisis Support
- IIA Local Services and Waste Management
- IIA ASC Supported Living
- IIA ASC Supporting Independence Scheme
- IIA ASC Homelessness Prevention Contract
- IIA ASC Maximum Contribution to Adult Social Care Costs
- IIA ASC Transforming the Adult Social Care Front Door
- IIA CES Review and deletion of Intensive Family Intervention Team (IFIT)
- IIA CES SEND Transport Post-16
- IIA CES SEND Transport Budget
If you have questions
If you have any questions about this or you need the consultation materials in different formats, such as large print, you can email us at: letstalk@newcastle.gov.uk, call 0191 278 7878, or write to us at: FREEPOST Let’s Talk
People's Budget - our budget simulator
The People's Budget is our online budget simulator, where residents can try out setting their own spending priorities for the city, looking at how we might make savings, generate income, and what to do about whether or not to raise Council Tax and the Adult Social Care Precept. To try it for yourself, click here: People's Budget 2024-2025
What happens next
We will consult on our draft budget proposals from 30 November 2023 until 17 January 2024. In February 2024, Cabinet will be asked to recommend the post-consultation budget to City Council. City Council will debate and vote on the budget at their meeting in March 2024. We will publish the final budget proposals, including a report on the consultation findings, on our website: Newcastle City Council. Thank you for giving us your views.
