Leader says council must ‘adapt and change’ to save services amid budget gloom

Nicholas Thomas, local democracy reporter

The leader of Newport City Council has vowed to tackle any budget gaps “head on” by embracing technology and the automation of services.

The local authority is estimating a £20m shortfall in its budget next year, and must “adapt and change” if it is to overcome that challenge, Cllr Dimitri Batrouni told cabinet colleagues at a meeting on November 13.

Early efforts to save money will focus on automating services and moving many application processes – such as blue badge and parking permits – to online-only.

Energy efficient

The council also plans to make its buildings more energy efficient, install automatic number plate recognition cameras in some of its car parks, and negotiate better utilities contracts among a host of other measures.

The council does not have to set out its budget plans until January, but Cllr Batrouni said he wanted to “get ahead of the game”.

Most council spending money comes from Welsh Government settlements, which are in turn dependent on the UK Treasury – and there is still uncertainty about how generous the funding will be for next year.

Like most councils, Newport is facing a budget gap because the cost of providing services has risen faster than any increases in central government grants, and Cllr Batrouni said he and colleagues had to “face the new reality”.

“There’s two options, in my view – we manage decline, or we adapt and change,” he added.

‘Creative’

Cllr Pat Drewett, cabinet member for communities, praised officers for the “creative ways they’ve come up with ideas that will be income-generating”.

Meanwhile Cllr James Clarke, the cabinet member for regeneration, warned that leaders in Newport and around the UK will have to make “tough decisions” when setting their next budgets.

“You have to think differently,” he added. “If not, we’ll just stand here and say ‘it’s tough times, it’s really difficult – or we stand up and say ‘this is what we’re trying to do.’”

Several of the council’s money-saving proposals are now out for public consultation, and council deputy leader Deb Davies urged Newport residents to have their say.

“Your views really do matter,” she said.

To take part in the consultation online, visit here.