Dilemma as Mid Devon District Council faces £1.4million budget gap in 2023

"Unless any savings proposals are forthcoming, we will need to look to reserves to close the residual budget gap"

Mid Devon District Council is facing a budget gap of £1.4million in 2023/24.

Cabinet member for Finance, Councillor Alex White (Upper Yeo, Liberal Democrats) explained that the current gap is £177,000 being predicted on the savings proposals being agreed, and the level of Council tax increase at £5 per band D property.

He said: "There are additional savings of £613,000.

"Unless any savings proposals are forthcoming, we will need to look to reserves to close the residual budget gap.

"There is a gap of £1.4million in our funding by 2023 to 2024 so although we are working to closing the 2020 to 2021 gap, and we have assumed savings proposals will be approved we still have a greater gap looming which will require ongoing savings."

Included in the savings include a grounds maintenance restructure, saving £35k, a five per cent increase and growth at leisure facilities bringing £30k, an increase in garden waste charges bringing £10k, shared responsibilities with Exeter City Council for transport saving £10k and cutting the remaining public convenience budget, which would save £10k.

Among the most talked-about topics at a Cabinet meeting of MDDC on Thursday, January 13, were plans to save £53k by removing the weed team.

Councillor Clive Eginton (Taw Vale, Conservative) said: "Members who have been here a little while will remember that during the last administration we introduced a weed removal team to work in the three towns and also in the villages.

This was to try and get our towns looking spruce and tidy and to make sure any excess weeds were removed at the earliest opportunity.

"When we introduced that facility, the idea was that there would be a review to see how successful that has been. To the best of my knowledge that decision to either keep it or remove it has not been to any policy development group, so I am a little worried.

"It does say it will save £53k, but I think the detriment to our district if we got rid of it now would be immense."

Cabinet member for the Environment, Councillor Luke Taylor (Bradninch, Liberal Democrats) responded saying: "I understand the sentiments regarding this.

"The view was it had not been as successful as it had been hoped. Unfortunately, due to staff, it has not been used district-wide and has been mainly based in the Tiverton region. Although it's been beneficial to Tiverton, you will appreciate it is a huge cost to the district."

Cabinet member for the Working Environment Councillor Nikki Woolatt (Cullompton North, Independent) added: "I have noticed no difference in Cullompton, so I'm not sure the value for money district-wide is there."

Councillor Frank Letch (Lawrence, Liberal Democrats) said Crediton had already put a system in place.

"My town had already put things in place, and we thought we didn't need a lot of the weed team," he said.

"It was not a well thought out scheme so I can understand why you want to get rid of it."

Spoken to group manager is that we've made that saving as the town council has picked up the responsibility for that.