MCC's budget is set

Extra spending on care homes and £2.5 million of extra funds on the county's roads are among Monmouthshire County Council's top spending priorities for next year.

Councillors passed the budget for 2009/10 at a meeting of Council last week (05.03.09), which will see £2.5 million more spent on highways maintenance and an extra investment of £40,000 on fees for foster parents.

There will be £90,000 more for special educational needs and £40,000 extra on school meals.

Other plans include a £150,000 increase in spending on raising standards at Key Stage 4 and a total of £712,000 spending on social services including £191,000 on residential and nursing care homes.

The budget will also see children's services receive a a further £74,000 of revenue spending.

Following consultation, MCC's cabinet made several alterations to the budget.  The following proposals will no longer take place:

• Reduction in school meals expenditure - £56,000

• Increase in fees and class sizes in adult education - £10,000

• Reduced Leisure Centre equipment budget - £5,000

• Reduced SEN expenditure - £60,000

• Reduced expenditure on Children's Services - £50,000

• Reduced response based highways maintenance - £70,000

• Charging for green waste - £50,000

• Part Night Time Operation of Rural Street Lights - £50,000

• Reduction in the number of Select Committees - £14,000

• Communications Unit Savings - £30,000

• Car Park Charges increase - £150,000

Leader of MCC, Peter Fox, said:

"With this budget we have responded to the voices of the people in Monmouthshire."

Councillor Phil Murphy, cabinet member for finance, said:

"We're really pleased that the consultation process gave us a clear indication about people's views on our proposals. A number of responses were made by residents after we publicised the proposals. Members made comments at a seminar and the proposals were also considered by three select committees and the schools budget forum.

"We hope that people see that we are listening to them and that we have done the best we can in difficult circumstances.

MCC's financial resources provide for the following examples:

• Education. MCC educates 12,593 pupils in 40 schools

• Adult Social Services. MCC works with approximately 3,500 people in Monmouthshire

• Highways, Traffic & Development. MCC maintains 1,600km of roads, 850 bridges, 11,000 street lights and 3,400 car parking spaces.

• Community Learning and Leisure. MCC provides a range of leisure, cultural and learning opportunities through 6 libraries, 1 theatre, 4 museums, 4 leisure centres, 9 adult learning sites and 12 youth clubs and many parks and open spaces.

• Cleansing and Waste Management. MCC carries out kerbside refuse collections from every household every week. Their street cleansing fleet comprises 3 large and 5 small sweepers plus 6 manual sweepers. MCC also operates 4 litter response crews.

• Children's Social Services. MCC deals with approximately 700 people each year and receives over 2,000 contacts.

• Revenues and Benefits. Tax collection, benefits, technology and audit service the needs of approximately 9,500 benefit claimants, 39,200 council tax payers and 2,900 business rate payers.

• Fire Service. MCC and other local authorities in South Wales fund the South Wales Fire and Rescue Services.

MCC also contributes to the funding of the Coroners Service, the Brecon Beacons National Park and the Lower Wye and Wentlog Drainage Boards for flood defence work.