Cannock council cuts: £100m shopping centre key to boosting budgets
Cannock council's future financial stability is 'highly dependent' on the success of a new £100m shopping outlet, its leader has said.
The council faces a funding cut of 15 per cent but George Adamson said the prospect of Mill Green opening in 2019, bringing 1,200 new jobs, was 'keeping this council solvent' and would be the 'biggest and best thing to happen in Cannock Chase district for decades'.
It came as the authority passed its budget for next year.
Councillor Adamson said he has again asked the government for help with transitional funding to deal with the authority's current deficit of £1.6m.
Central government has handed out £300m to authorities across the UK to help them deal with budget cuts.
However, they are mostly in the south of England and Cannock Chase has been denied any of the cash.
It applied for the funding after losing £1m in business rates following the closure of Rugeley Power Station last June.
Councillor Adamson said: "This council has lobbied tirelessly to seek a fair and equitable settlement reflecting the needs of the authority. This has fallen on deaf ears."
He added: "We are still highly dependent upon the Mill Green Outlet Development proceeding according to plan.
"Without this development, further budget reductions of £700,000 per annum would be required and the deficit would be £2.3m rather than £1.6m. This is a major assumption in our financial plans moving forward."
Over the coming years, the council will lose millions of pounds in funding, prompting a host of cutbacks.
There will be six jobs axed in the cuts over 2017/18, including one senior manager.
Parking charges will be raised by 10p an hour in Cannock and Rugeley and football pitch hire charges will also be increased.
Council tax is expected to increase by 1.95 per cent for ratepayers, meaning a charge of £208.87 for a Band D property over 2017/18.
That will be signed off at another full council meeting on February 22.
