The council is facing significant financial difficulties. We need to cut our budget by £90m by 2016, which is around a third of our total budget. While some of this is caused by cuts to government grants, the rest is a result of rising cost pressures. Inevitably, making savings of this size will have an impact on the services we offer, and residents, businesses and community organisations are encouraged to have their say on these important issues facing the city.
Details about how we propose to do this are published here. These are proposals, not decisions. We want to hear your views on how you feel these proposed changes may impact upon you and your community. We are also interested to hear any actions you think we can take to minimise these impacts where possible.
Consultation will run until 1 February 2013, after which time the council’s Cabinet will consider responses to the consultation, and recommend its draft budget to Full Council on 6 March 2013.
Budget documents
- Main budget report: Newcastle City Councils budget proposals 2013-16; Fair Choices for Tough Times (pdf, 3.35mb)
- Appendix 1 - Revenue and Capital Plan 2013-16(pdf, 401Kb); including:
- Annex a: Initial Risk Assessment of 2013-14 budget
- Annex b: List of potential schemes in 2013-16 Capital Programme
- Appendix 2 - Draft budget proposals summary 2013-16 (pdf, 326Kb)
- Fair Choices for Tough Times: Let’s talk about tomorrow – Citizen’s priorities for Newcastle in 2016 (pdf, 305Kb)
- Letter to the Prime Minister from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Nick Forbes (pdf, 152kb)
Proposals have been grouped into the following areas:
- Civic Enterprise (Traded Services)
This looks at how the council can maximise income through trading services.
View proposals in this category > - Commissioning and Procurement
This looks at creating a single coherent approach to commissioning all people-focussed services in the future.
View proposals in this category > - Crisis Response
This looks at the services we provide to people who face or are at risk of financial and social exclusion and the risk of homelessness.
View proposals in this category > - Democratic Support
This includes democratic services, Lord Mayor’s office and Elections.
View proposals in this category > - Housing
This looks at how the council supports the housing market and affordable homes in the city
View proposals in this category > - Local Services - Maintaining the City
This includes many of the most highly visible services we deliver on behalf of the public, feeding directly into the council’s ambition to deliver decent neighbourhoods.
View proposals in this category > - Local Services - Services People Access
This looks at the services we deliver through our public buildings such as our libraries, museums, leisure centres and Customer Service Centres.
View proposals in this category > - Local Services - Supporting and Enabling Communities
This looks at the support and opportunities we offer to residents and communities to get involved in issues, especially at a local level.
View proposals in this category >
Office Accommodation
This looks at the office buildings we use as a council, and proposals around their future use.
View proposals in this category > - Public Protection and Safety
This looks at a number of statutory services and functions we deliver to protect the public, improve health, provide a safe city and promote economic growth.
View proposals in this category > - Services to Schools
This looks at the range of different services that are provided to schools and children and young people in Newcastle and how they can be delivered differently.
View proposals in this category > - Social Care
This looks at the social care services we provide to children, young people, families and vulnerable adults in the city.
View proposals in this category > - Support Services
This includes all support and business management services and functions we deliver as a council.
View proposals in this category > - Working City
This incorporates all of the council’s current economic development activity, which includes business growth, projects, planning, transport, employment and skills.
View proposals in this category >
