15 ways Sandwell Council wants to save money in annual budget

Plans for the annual budget for 2022/23 will go to full council in March.

At a budget and corporate scrutiny meeting on Tuesday, councillors met the directors of the council to discuss how to plug the gap – focusing on the authority’s internal costs.

They include charges for green bins, a further increase to the 3.99 per cent proposed raise in council tax, cutting grants to voluntary organisations and reducing respite support.

Here are 15 of the most eye-catching:

1. Review policy on Respite Support to reduce offering from 56 days to 28 days. Rashpal Bishop, director of adult social care, said “only a few individuals” will be affected. Savings: £0.1 million.

2. Develop an “alternative approach” to social workers handling double care calls. The council is seeking to investment in new equipment so social workers can deal with individuals calls rather than multiple. Savings: £1.4 million.

3. Increase garage rents by 50 per cent. Savings: £0.4 million. In their impact statement, the council admitted customers “will need to pay more” but rents are low “compared to others”.

4. Reduce funding to Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). The council argued it’s a relatively small proportion of total SCVO funding (£1.35m), and will be subject to consultation and impact assessments. Savings: £0.08 million.

5. Review policy for adult social care charge. The council has intended to open a consultation into the matter. In Sandwell, 47 per cent of individuals' incomes is taken into account. Many other authorities take up to 100 per cent. Savings: £0.3 million.

6. Cut training conferences and professional training budgets for HR staff at the local authority. Savings: £0.2 million.

7. Reduce training delivered to Early Years staff. Savings: £0.06 million.

8. Use of Covid grant funding to cover airport dividend loss and reduced Collection Fund deficit. Savings: £2.5 million.

9. Staff restructuring in the legal department. Savings: £0.2 million.

10. Hand delivery of forms during local elections rather than postal and using tablets for canvassing. Savings: £0.12 million.

11. Increase the summons charge for council tax and business rates debt from £10 to £79. The amount the council has to collect will increase. Savings: £0.17 million.

12. An additional £40 charge added if a resident wants a second green bin. Savings: £0.17 million.

13. Relocation of library services and hubs. Savings: £0.2 million.

14. Consolidation of services at local museums and management restructures. Savings: £0.1 million.

15. New pre-application charges for planning applications. These will be for new customers only. Savings: £0.005 million.