£3m flood fund for Calderdale

Draft proposals were revealed by the council’s Cabinet on Monday, and include saving proposals for the next two years, as well as a “vision” of the council as far as 2020.

The proposals include pushing up Council Tax rates by 3.95 per cent - including the discretionary Social Care Precept introduced by the Government to ring-fence funding for social care.

The Council has cut £78m since 2010, and was forced to make further cuts following George Osborne’s autumn statement. “Higher than expected” Council Tax receipts have softened the blow, the council said.

Draft proposals for a Flood Recovery and Resilience Fund say the dedicated money pot is needed to ensure long-term recovery from the Boxing Day floods.

The cash will be used to “make the case” for better flood defences and for “other actions to protect our communities and strengthen our ability to bounce back”, the report said.

The Council is “working strongly” to secure Government funding, but must also “play its part”, it added.

Calderdale Council’s leader Coun Tim Swift, said: “We are facing exceptional challenges in this year and in the years ahead. We have already seen massive reductions in the financial support which we receive from the government, and these will continue until 2020, when revenue support will virtually cease.

“At the same time we are leading the recovery from the largest and most extreme flooding to affect Calderdale in recent history.

“To meet these unprecedented challenges we have developed a new strategy which will allow us to plan ahead to ensure continued financial stability in these uncertain times.”

The Council is now encouraging the public to have its say on the proposals with a series of public meetings. For more information visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/budget