Budget challenges: Pothole problems and car parking in Calderdale's towns discussed by councillors

Both are among service areas Calderdale Council will look at in coming months to see if different ways of working might bring some savings or better maximise use of resources available.

Although a mix of a better-than-expected social care grant, a better return on investments due to higher interest rates and this year’s 4.99 per cent Council Tax rise means Calderdale does not have to cut services this year, it is still expected to have to make around £13 million more savings in 2024-25.

Coun Sue Holdsworth (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland) said she noticed slowdown in footfall of people going shopping in Halifax and in the night time economy was predicted and asked if additional charging to 8pm introduced recently impacted on this.

Cabinet member for Public Services, Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park) said the impression the council got was that it had not, and there had been a lot of discussion beforehand on charging, which was a complex issue.

If rates were too low, commuters would fill car park and bay places closest to the centre all day and there was need to encourage turnover.

And, she said of parking on the edges of the town centre, “if people are prepared to park further out they remain very good value for money.”

Place Scrutiny Board Chair, Coun Regan Dickenson (Con, Rastrick) said property and highways – with inevitable questions about potholes – were also areas the council Cabinet’s budget proposals said would be re-examined.

Director of Regeneration and Strategy, Shelagh O’Neill, said areas of significant expenditure were being reviewed as part of budget process.

Highways was not an area where you would find significant savings but there might be benefit in changing ways of working – acknowledging resources available might not meet public expectations, she said.

“We are trying to make sure that what we are doing is efficient and effective,” said Ms O’Neill.

Coun Audrey Smith (Lab, Sowerby Bridge) asked about roads damaged by heavy plant while major schemes were being constructed.

Ms O’Neill said remediation work was factored in and highway resurfacing would not be done in areas where large schemes were set to take place.

This is against a backdrop where social care statutory responsibilities, including all-age care packages and external placements for some looked after children taking up around 70 per cent of the council’s budget, councillors were told.

Savings have to come from the remainder – which took in services like these, said Cabinet member for Children and Young People’s Services, Coun Adam Wilkinson (Lab, Sowerby Bridge).

Councillors’ inboxes had people asking questions about potholes and bin collections but these services only had the remaining 30 per cent of the budget to pay for them, he said.