Last updated at 16:51, Thursday, 24 January 2013

COUNCILLORS traded verbal blows as plans to make savings were discussed at the town hall.

Barrow Borough Council’s executive committee met yesterday to discuss budget proposals for 2013 to 2014.

The proposals are set to see council tax increase by 1.9 per cent, charges for services such as leisure centre usage rise by around 2.5 per cent and one hour and two hour parking charges rise by 10p.

Borough treasurer Sue Roberts told the meeting that the proposals were based on the council receiving £6.4m in government funding.

However, she said that the council has since been awarded a further £386,000 in the provisional settlement from Westminster.

The strategy does not take into account an efficiency support grant of £1.1m.

The support grant will be awarded if the council meets targets, which have yet to be revealed, set by the government.

The grant will also be available in 2014/15 dependant on the council’s performance.

Leader of the opposition, Councillor Jack Richardson, asked why this £2.2m had been left out of the proposals.

Leader Councillor Dave Pidduck said he would not base a budget on money that he was not sure the council was going to receive.

Cllr Richardson also asked why car parking prices and service costs were going up as usage was lower than expected. Councillor Brendan Sweeney replied that the price increases had resulted in increased revenue.

There was also debate over the decision to increase the tax, hence rejecting a council tax freeze grant of £45,000, before the budget proposals were passed.

The proposals will now go to a public consultation before a final decision on the budget is made at a meeting of the full council on February 26.

First published at 16:35, Thursday, 24 January 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk