Views sought on Gateshead budget proposals – MyCyberBase

We have started the budget consultation for 2024/25 and is asking for local people to give their views.

Our latest funding forecast, in the Medium Term Financial Strategy, has identified a funding gap over the next five years of £49.5m. Without an increase in funding from Government the council, which has already made over £191m of cuts, will need to cut £49.5m from our budget. In 2024/25 alone, we face a gap of £27.1m between the funding available to pay for services and the costs incurred in delivering them.

Our consultation will be seeking views from residents, staff, businesses and partner organisations on the proposals until 15 January 2024.

Give your views

The budget proposals include a combination of efficiencies and cost reductions, income generation and proposals on how Council services can work differently, with partners across all sectors, to achieve the right outcomes for the people of Gateshead.

Councillor Martin Gannon, Leader of Gateshead Council, said: “We continue to face financial and economic uncertainty which, with unsustainable funding for local government, makes it very difficult for us to plan in the longer term. This, alongside 13 years of austerity, disproportionate cuts to funding, delays to funding reform, increasing demand particularly for social care and high inflation, mean we continue to have to make challenging decisions but we are working hard to minimise the impact for our residents.

“Since 2010 we’ve had to take £191.66 million out of our budget over the last 13 years, which is equivalent to 68% of our current Net Revenue Budget of £281.885 million. This means we now have £977 less to spend per resident and we expect this to reduce even further to £1,229 over the next five years.

“It’s really important to us to get the views from our local communities so I’d be grateful if people can take the time to share their views with us.”

Between now and Monday 15 January, local people can give their views on the proposals which can be found on the Council’s website www.gateshead.gov.uk/budget or by emailing budgetconsultation@gateshead.gov.uk. 

Following the public consultation, the budget will be recommended to Council by Cabinet on Tuesday 20 February and considered by full council on 22 February 2024.