THE new Cumberland Council agreed its first budget at a meeting held this week (March 1).

The financial plans will come into place when the new authority takes power on April 1.

The shadow executive has been working to bring together the budgets of various borough and city councils and split the finances for Cumbria County Council, which the new authority will be replacing.

This is so the council can continue providing services from its vesting day, such as planning, waste collection, and care services.

The budget has already been through some oversight at the council’s shadow scrutiny committee, and there was a survey of residents and local organisations in January.

The council said in its council plan that it wants to improve the health and wellbeing of all residents in Cumberland and that this budget starts this process, by providing the resources needed to tackle some of the inequalities in the area.

The budget means that those on the lowest incomes will continue to receive financial support from April 1, 2023, such as through the council tax reduction scheme.

Councillor Lisa Brown, the deputy leader, announced a further ambition to explore how Cumberland Council can provide free school meals for all schoolchildren.

The authority agreed to a ‘right to food’ motion last summer to ensure tackling food insecurity was a priority.

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The council is also currently working with the government on £40million additional support to help cover extra costs transition and allow the managed transformation of services over the coming years to make the council more effective and efficient in the long-term.

Such costs include contractual changes and investment in ICT.

Council tax accounts for a significant share of the funding for the authority, and councillors agreed to an average 4.99 per cent rise in council tax from April 1.

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When making the decision, councillors said they considered the concerns raised by those who had responded to the budget consultation which was held in January this year.

Over 750 people and organisations responded, and while the majority of those who responded to the council’s consultation agreed with its approach to harmonisation, 57 per cent did not support a 4.99 per cent rise. 

Cllr Cannon added: “By law, we have to harmonise council tax levels, and there are different ways to approach this. 

“On balance we believe it is important to ensure that all residents in the Cumberland area pay the same, per council tax band, for the services that Cumberland delivers, which is why we have gone for a weighted average.

“Choosing to go with the lowest council tax would cost a substantial amount of income and would result in a squeeze on front-line services that protect the most vulnerable.  

“As an executive, we do recognise that the cost-of-living crisis is having an impact on every household – and disproportionately on those with low incomes, but we have little choice but to propose council tax rises this year.

“The alternative would be cuts in services at a time when we believe those most affected by the cost-of-living crisis need us and these services to be there for them.”

The budget also brings together the approved capital programmes in the Cumberland area of the four councils for the years 2023/24 to 2026/27, which amounts to £283million in investment.