COUNCIL BUDGET: Freeze on council tax but major cuts are on cards - up to 120 jobs at risk

Papers published by the city council ahead of a key cabinet meeting next week set out the £11.9 million the authority needs to save in 2015/16 - and shows a series of major cuts across all areas.

Children's services will be particularly hard hit with £1.1 million going from the children's and youth services budget.

Other detailed proposals include:

• York Financial Assistance Scheme will have £200,000 set aside to give financial and debt advice.

• In Children's Services £160,000 will be taken off the annual budget lead to a "review of premises" - raising concerns about the future of the embattled Castlegate Centre

• Another £135,000 is to be saved by merging the management of Haxby Road and New Earswick Children's Centres.

• Increases in building control and planning fees are expected to bring in an extra £112,000.

• Not filling vacancies for school crossing patrols will save £13,000.

• Increasing the fees charged for cremations will bring in another £80,000.

• £500,000 will come off the grant given the York Museum's Trust, and another £50,000 will come off the libraries budget - leading to "reduction in service levels" for the libraries according to the council papers.

• Just two years after the council moved into its West Offices HQ, they are aiming to make £60,000 by renting out space, and save another £60,000 on the cleaning budget for the building and the council's other properties.

• £87,000 is coming off budget for Supported Living customers - by stopping day care for some people.

• Another £64,000 will be saved by developing the centre for adults with disabilities or autism at Burton Stone Lane Community Centre - by not renewing contacts with charities Mencap and UBU for services they have provided.

• £200,000 worth of support to other organisations will be stopped.

Council leader Dafydd Williams said they had tried to come up with a budget that reflected residents' priorities - focusing on basic services like highways and street cleaning, and tackling antisocial behaviour such as street drinking, and protecting vulnerable people.

STREET CLEANING: Focus on basic services

The budget also shows £650,000 less going into council reserves - something Cllr Williams puts down to prudence in keeping up the reserves in recent years.

The council's internal Delivery and Innovation Fund is also taking a hit - with half a million pounds less in 2015/16.

Last February's two-year budget covers the 2015/16 financial year, but the fresh proposals show what Cllr Williams calls "tweaks" to respond to changes in income, and new spending.

He added: "This year the majority is unchanged, but budgeting is tough and it's going to get tougher. The problem is that as Government grants diminish so does our capacity to spend on anything other than the basics - like stimulating economic growth, improving quality of life or protecting vulnerable people."

>>> Conservatives to put forward amendment calling for focus to be placed on vital services <<<

Race to balance this year’s books 

CITY officials are facing a race against time to balance this year's books.

The council is heading for a £771,000 overspend by the end of 2014/15, warns a new report by the city council's principal accountant, Ross Brown.

The figures are an improvement on those published three months ago when the final overspend was estimated at £1.3 million.

He wrote: "Work is ongoing across all areas to ensure that this overspend can be mitigated with a view to the final out-turn being within the approved budget."

Disappointing parking fees make up a large part of the budget black hole - accounting for £327,000 of the "budget pressures" in the City and Environmental Services department, which is running a £941,000 overspend.

The department is also hit by lower than expected income from planning fees, which the report puts down to the delay in the Local Plan.

In adult social care the predicted overspend has fallen by £484,000 in the last three months, and managers now expect to go over their budget by £528,000.

The elderly people's homes alone look set to go over budget by almost £1 million - something the accountants say will be offset by underspending in other areas of adult social care.

Funding for roads and bin service set out

ALONGSIDE the revenue savings set out in the city council's annual budget, the cabinet will also be asked to approve a £44.1 million programme of capital investment for the next five years.

The cash will go across highways, transport, waste, IT and housing, with funding partly from loans and Government grants.

HELP: Flood prevention will get cash
HELP: Flood prevention will get cash

• Highways is getting £7.85m for resurfacing and reconstruction, salt bins, flood prevention and bus network improvements.

• Another £1.18 million is going to public transport infrastructure and facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, alongside £423,000 for LED street lights.

• Besides this, £3.037 million is going on the footpath across, while £15.14m from the Housing Revenue Account will support the council’s programme of major repairs including schemes such as Decent Homes Works.

• Funds totalling £2.434 million will provide loans and grants to help older and disabled people stay in their own homes, while £174,000 to be invested into the Burton Stone specialist activity base for adults with a learning disability or autism.

• £525,000 is proposed for the education, health and care needs of all disabled children and young people - creating three additional hubs in the area.

• The Family Drug and Alcohol Assessment and Recovery Facility at Howe Hill will see an investment of £100,000.

• Ten primary schools will get £457,000 for better electricity supplies.

• £106,000 will be spent on wheelie bins for back lanes and terraced streets, along with £120,000 for 20 new solar power bins - The Mansion House restoration scheme will get £1.824 million.

• £200,000 will be spent on maintenance to the city’s bridges and, with £90,000 for repairs on the Bar Walls and £200,000 for the Knavesmire.

• A new fund of £500,000 has been set up to help the council bring in expert advice.