Bi-weekly recycling collections and using Halifax Town Hall for weddings - here's some 'alternative' budget proposals by Calderdale's Conservative councillors

These could make savings in 2023-24 while over the following two years switching to bi-weekly recycling collections using wheelie bins and transferring Halifax’s Victoria Theatre to a trust could save the council more money, says the opposition group.

But efforts to balance Calderdale Council’s budget and bolster its reserves will produce the biggest savings through a review of staffing and vacancies and building rationalisation, say the Conservatives – if the proposals are supported.

Councillors will meet to agree a budget at Calderdale Budget Council next Monday (February 27) at Halifax Town Hall.

The council’s Cabinet, with councillors drawn from the ruling Labour group, has already made recommendations which would see a balanced budget with no cuts in 2023-24 but savings still having to be found in the two years after that.

Conservative group leader Coun Steven Leigh (Ryburn) says his group recognises the “extraordinary challenges” faced by councils throughout the country due to factors including Covid, political uncertainty in Westminster, the War in Ukraine, the cost of living and inflation, which he says is a “prefect storm”.

The “profound financial difficulties” families face as a result are also recognised, he said.

Some upheaval in the council’s finance department had meant delay in the group receiving information, so the group’s budget is focused on protecting the council’s finances and making them as robust and resilient as possible, said Coun Leigh.

This could see reserves – money set aside to deal with unforeseen emergencies – rise from £5 million to around £9 million, believes the group.

A combination of a higher Government settlement than expected, higher interest rates producing a better return on the council’s savings and additional Council Tax gives the opportunity for a much-needed bolstering of reserves, about which the Conservatives have had long-standing concerns, said Coun Leigh.

“Having arrived at that position without any service cuts, an opportunity is presented to bolster the council’s cash reserves, by identifying efficiencies and increased productivity savings,” he said.

The reserves level stands at £5 million and “worryingly, this is the lowest level of reserves’ sustainability of all metropolitan districts – and we are determined to do something about it,” said Coun Leigh.

The Conservative proposals estimate in 2023-24 £1.5 million can be saved through the staffing and building reviews, with savings of £2.5 million in each of the two following years from this source, £150,000 each year by outsourcing bulky waste, fly-tipping deterrence and pest control, and commercialisation of Halifax Town Hall and other civic buildings for example for wedding ceremonies and other events might bring in £200,000 next year, £300,000 in 2024-25 and £400,000 in 2025-26, the party estimates.

Enforcement action on private landlords not meeting minimum energy efficiency standards might also raise around £50,000 in each of three years, they say.

The recycling wheelie bin and bi-weekly collection proposals would save around £200,000 in 2024-24 and 2025-26 while £100,000 in each of those two years could be saved by transferring Halifax’s main theatre, the Victoria Theatre, to a trust – to be operated on a trust model with a £100,000 a year subsidy from the council, say the Conservatives.

The Budget Council meeting will also be screened by the council on its Public-i channel – https://calderdale.public-i.tv/core/portal/home – from 6pm.