Council Tax Rise And Online Funeral Charge - Isle Of Wight Council Reveals 2022/23 Budget

A near three per cent rise in council tax is on the cards as the Isle of Wight Council sets its budget for the forthcoming year.

The local authority has forecasted savings of £3 million for 2022/23, and £6 million over the next three years.

Among the proposals to generate income include increases to fees and charges. These include:

• Providing an option for Islanders to watch funerals online at a cost. The fee is proposed at the average level being charged nationally.
• An increase in subscription charge for Green Garden Waste by £2 per month to £96 a year.
• An increase in all parking tariffs by 10p per hour, with effect from 1 July 2022.
• An increase in Wightcare weekly charges.

The council says 54 per cent of the £3 million will be achieved through efficiency savings, and 45 per cent by additional income.

One per cent of the proposed 2.99 per cent council tax rise looks set to go directly to Adult Social Care. The other 1.99 per cent is for other council services.

The council expects to spend around £400 million in the next financial year.

Councillor Chris Jarman, Cabinet member for strategic finances, said:

"The past few years have seen a process of managing decline.

"Budgets have simply aimed to tighten the council’s belt further and further, trying to do what is necessary with ever reducing funds and mistakenly describing the process as savings rather than stating the reality of it being an ongoing process of cuts.

"This process cannot continue.

"We need to reinvigorate the council and start to develop a financial strategy built on growth, rather than cuts. If we fail to do this, then key services that support our residents, our Island and our community will either cease or cease to be sustainably adequate for the need and demand.

"Our goal is to be in a position to stop the direction the council has been heading for the past four years, to turn the wheel and to start moving forward in a new direction."

More than £40 million is set to be spent on capital projects.

They range from investment in affordable housing to funding for a new cultural centre as part of the regeneration of Newport Harbour.

Nearly £2.5 million will be allocated to providing the start-up capital necessary for a council-owned housing company — providing for local people — to become operational.

Elsewhere, more than £1.5 million is proposed to be invested in adult social care with £1.4 million to improve the availability of independent living flats for those who need high levels of support. 

To help Island householders and tenants with disabilities to remain in their homes, a further £708,000 in improvement grants will also be set aside.

In education, the new £4.9 million primary school in the West Wight will open in January 2023 and almost £9 million will be spent in refurbishing and remodelling the Bay School (secondary site) by October 2022.

Other substantial works will be completed at Newchurch Primary School and Medina House School this summer.

The council also plans to spend £3 million on infrastructure and transport.

Around £75,000 has been ringfenced to repair and reinstate footpaths and other rights of way damaged during last summer's floods.

There are also major enhancements proposed for Shanklin's cliff lift, with £170,000 set to be invested in painting the lift shaft and replacing the lower canopy to ensure its long-term future.

Islanders can attend a virtual meeting about the budget proposals on Wednesday, 9 February at 6pm, here.