Some residents will be protected if a proposed charge for parking permits is backed.
Kirklees Council, as part of its 2014/15 budget proposals, is considering a £30 charge for residents living at 320 permit locations – potentially affecting up to 9,000 residents.
But Clr Mehboob Khan, leader of the council, said: “We are consulting about parking permits and those who are on a low income and eligible for a Kirklees Passport won’t have to pay.”
The Passport is a council-run discount scheme for some residents on benefits and pensioners, among others.
Yesterday the Examiner reported the council’s budget proposals include £1.4m less on routine road repairs and 201 full time equivalent jobs lost.
More information has been made available on the budget including:
Kirklees Council says the 10 school crossing patrol posts to be “discontinued” are currently vacant and were difficult to recruit.
The current vacant sites proposed to be discontinued (subject to change): Station Road, Thornhills Lees, Crowlees Road/Richardthorpe Avenue Mirfield, Greenside Road Mirfield, North Road Ravensthorpe, Southfield Road and Northgate, Almondbury, Moor Lane High Burton, Wakefield Road Scisset, Long Lane Dalton, Victoria Road/Mount St Lockwood.
A council spokeswoman explained the £20k library and information service reduction: “The new ways of working for the mobile library and information services are an existing agreed saving and represent the impact of changes started in 2013/14 following a review and consultation with users.
“As it is £20k saving on a £6.2m budget it will be absorbed through very minor adjustments.”
Special Education Needs (SEN), support for further education students, and Employee Healthcare remain funded in 2014/15.
The budget for the Connexions Service, a careers service for young people, is unaffected with a budget of £2,517m.
Kirklees Active Leisure, a charity which manages sports centres, will decide how much ‘pay and play’ will increase as a result of a £266k funding reduction.
A £291,000 activity budget for Area Committees – public meetings with councillors and residents – could be scrapped but meetings continue until a review completes.
Clr Khan said of the changes: “Many areas seem to organise their own forums and community get-togethers.
“Councillors get a £12,000 a year allowance so we can organise these events ourselves and pay for postage and room hire.
“We can engage with local people without having bureaucracy and administration.”
BUDGET AT A GLANCE
THE PLACE DIRECTORATE – which includes streetscene, waste and housing services – loses £4m from its directorate budget of £37m. 33.6 FTE jobs (full-time equivalents) will be lost out of 2,929 FTE.
ADULT SERVICES – which includes care and residential support services – loses £4.3m of its £94.4m directorate budget. 120.6 FTE jobs will be lost out of 1,092 FTE.
RESOURCES – which includes libraries and customer services – loses just over £1m of its £36.6m directorate budget. 7.3 FTE jobs will be lost out of 1,070 FTE.
THE CHILDREN’S SERVICES – which covers education, school planning and social services – loses £4.2m from its £75.848m directorate budget. 18.5 FTE jobs will be lost out of 6,354 FTE.
COMMUNITIES – which includes sport, museums and galleries – loses £1.5m of its £16.5m budget. 20 FTE jobs will be lost out of 414 FTEs.
Public Health remains unchanged .