Dear resident,
These are very challenging times, but we are working hard to ensure we keep providing services for the people of this borough.
Our financial pressures have been well documented, we are facing some difficult decisions to be able to run services amid growing costs to provide them.
A recent review of the authority by councillors and officers from other local authorities highlighted these issues as did an annual audit into our finances, which made it clear we have to do more to tackle our rapidly shrinking reserves.
In response, we have set up an independent improvement and assurance board (IAB) to drive forward change and maintain a firmer grip on our finances.
The rising costs of delivering adult social care and children’s services is a real challenge with forecasts of £12million worth of pressures in the coming year in these two areas alone. As a result, we are investing £40million into the two services to ensure we continue to provide help and support for the people who need it most.
But we have to do more to raise money if we are to avoid following other authorities into bankruptcy. Dudley is not there yet but we have to continue to make sound but tough decisions if we are to avoid declaring a section 114.
One way we are raising money is by increasing our council tax rate by 4.99 per cent for the next 12 months. That’s around £1.17 increase per week for a typical band B property, which is less than the cost of a loaf of bread. Two per cent of that increase will go directly to supporting adult social care. But even with that increase, Dudley residents will continue to have some of the lowest council tax bills in the country.
We are also looking to charge for green waste to raise vital funds. Details can be found online.
As we look to the year ahead, there will be more challenges but we are meeting them head on by working to create a thriving Dudley borough people can be proud of.
Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council
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Residents who want green waste collections will need to pay £36 a year for the service. You can sign up to the garden waste collections online:
