Sheffield Green Party Councillors are today proposing a balanced budget at the Council meeting on 7th March 2014.
The Green budget will provides for investing in solar panels on council housing which would reduce fuel bills for tenants, create jobs in the renewable energy sector and set up a long term income stream for more investment and services in the future.
The Green budget will use an underspend in public health to implement a 20mph speed limit in the city centre, which suffers from the worst road traffic accident rates in Sheffield. This should be combined with a clear plan to roll out 20mph limits across all residential streets in the city rather than the current piece-meal “zone” approach.
The Green Councillors have already shown how a small rise in council tax can prevent all the library closures, support disabled and elderly people in need of social care and double the hardship fund for the city’s poorest households hit by the loss of council tax benefit. The Greens have been listening to concerns raised by those receiving and working in care services. Care workers are worried that the standard of care is falling dangerously as council managers are put under pressure to cut budgets fast.
Cllr Creasy said,
“Our budget reverses some of the immediate threats to community facilities and services for the most vulnerable people. But there are also longer term investments to improve health, create jobs and protect the environment.”
Note
A 2.95% increase in Council Tax would mean a rise of about 48p per week for the majority of Sheffield households – and less for single-person households.