Bid to stop funding being cut for Citizens Advice fails as budget plans passed by council

The “alternative budget” proposals presented by councillors also included the retention of the Museum of Cannock Chase in its current location, after it was revealed the district authority was considering moving the collection to another venue as part of measures to close a £1.8m funding gap.

But the two alternative budgets failed to gain sufficient support from the full council to be referred back to the cabinet for consideration.

Instead the budget plans put forward by the Conservative administration were passed at Wednesday’s meeting, despite opposition from non-Conservative members.

The council is set to cut the grant aid support it gives to Citizens Advice by £30,000 in 2023/24 and £60,000 in 2024/25.

But Labour group member Councillor Tony Johnson said on Wednesday the move would come at a time when families were facing the cost of living crisis.

He said: “As a Labour group we feel that to cut the grant aid to such a service at the present time is false economy. Many people in our locality will be needing the support Citizens Advice can provide in the very challenging economic environment our district faces; when the need is increasing it is not the time to cut the support.”

But council leader Olivia Lyons replied that the authority was not removing the grant altogether. “Citizens Advice received £125,000 and an additional £30,000 from the Housing Revenue Account last year,” she said.

“This council also funds Chase Advice, which is aimed to benefit the residents of Cannock Chase . We do so with a grant of £12,100 and by providing and funding a premises for them on Park Road.

“More than that, as part of our new UK Shared Prosperity Fund funding, we are introducing a Cannock Climate and Fuel Poverty (CCFP) Advisor and a Poverty Benefits Advisor through this council. This is to directly address the needs of our local residents and target direct support to Cannock Chase residents.”

The alternative budget proposals put forward by the Chase Community Independents and Green Group members called for a budget to address the climate emergency as well as keeping the Museum of Cannock Chase at the former Valley Colliery at Hednesford. It was also suggested the site could become a “demonstration hub of building energy efficiency and the green economy of the future”.

Councillor Paul Woodhead, Chase Community Independents and Green Group leader, said: “This council has, quite rightly, produced a costed action plan for the delivery of a carbon-neutral future and it is challenging, does require significant investment and will require vision and leadership. But it must be done and it must be started today; kicking it down the road as too hard just won’t do anymore.

“From the conversations my group and I have had with Hednesford residents and town council colleagues, it is clear that there is great pride in our museum, great pride in our heritage, great pride in the educational benefits of the current location and great pride in the support it gives to community groups. Our alternative budget urges the cabinet to reconsider this closure of a local landmark and important link to our proud heritage.”

Councillor Lyons stressed that it remained “business as usual” at the museum site until at least the end of 2023 while a new strategy for the service was produced. “The museum will open as advertised as its current location, continue to host education visits and run its popular on-site events programme while the new strategy is worked on”, she added.

“Longer term decisions about the future of the former Valley Colliery buildings are yet to be considered. The buildings could well be developed and maintained, including retaining the outdoor pit wheel, although the main priority for now is the successful relocation of the museum.”

Relocating the museum to another building managed by Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles, which runs leisure and cultural services on behalf of the council, could save the authority £100,000 in 2024/25, a report has revealed. Other proposed savings in the district council’s budget include introducing a garden waste collection charge, a review of leisure concessions and car park charging at Hednesford and Rugeley stations.

District council tax is set to rise by 2.99 per cent from April. The increase means Band D households will pay an extra 13p per week for district council services, bringing their bill up to £4.56 a week.

Councillor Lyons said: “Nobody wants to increase council tax or add to the financial burden of already stretched households. We cannot sugar coat this, the decision before us is whether to accept the proposed 2.99% increase or look at which services to cut.

“Although we collect council tax, this council only receives 12 per cent of the council tax a household pays. Of the rest, Fire and Rescue receive four per cent, Police and Crime receive 13 per cent and the majority goes to support services provided by Staffordshire County Council such as schools, roads and social care.”