The Isle of Wight Council has put forward its proposed budget for the coming year — one that seeks to push the ‘reset’ button and reverse the previous annual cycle of cuts and decline, but still looks to find £3million of savings and increase Council Tax by 2.99%.
In proposing this year’s £400million spending plans, the council has said it’s applying the brakes to the former approach of managing decline and plotting a new course to a positive future for the Island and its community.
It is a budget, the council says, that protects the young, the elderly and most vulnerable in society by preserving valued frontline services.
To help meet some of the shortfall, Full Council will be asked to approve a general council tax rise of 1.99%, with a further rise of 1% specifically to protect adult social care. In total, the proposed increase equates to an extra £44 per year for a typical band C taxpayer.
There will also be increases in some areas of fees and charges to try to generate more income to help deliver key services for…
