Budget Consultation Information 2019/ 20

Ludlow Town Council would like to thank residents for taking part in our budget consultation in recent years.

Last year, we were pleased to hear that residents supported safeguarding Ludlow’s play areas, and we have made provision in the budget, and are in the process of negotiating the transfer with Shropshire Council.

In the last few years, Ludlow Town Council has focused on strengthening its the finances to enable the process of change.   Recent changes have included opening Ludlow Museum at the Buttercross in 2016, refurbishment works to the Guildhall in 2017 /18, progressing the works to the Town Walls, and supporting local bus services. Future changes include taking on twelve play areas from Shropshire Council, and supporting a sustainable future for Visitor Information Services. However, Ludlow Town Council understands that continual increases to Council Tax is unsustainable.

Ludlow Town Council are committed to no Council Tax increase in 2019/20.

Services Ludlow Town Council Provide Throughout the Year

As well as grants and one-off projects, Ludlow Town Council’s annual budget enables the continuation of local services & facilities including:

• Ludlow Museum at the Buttercross;
• Ludlow Market;
• Street Trading;
• Henley Road Cemetery – burial services;
• public conveniences at Castle Street And Smithfield Car Parks;
• The Linney Recreation Area, Jetty & Toilets and Riverside Life Buoys;
• Maintenance of Castle Gardens;
• St John’s Gardens;
• Wheeler Road Skate Park and fenced ball games area, smaller children’s play area & Ludlow Boxing Club building;
• Houseman Crescent Play Area;
• Maintence of Town Centre benches and bus shelters;
• Civic and Annual events include Ludlow Mayfair; Remembrance Sunday; Mayor Making; Mayor’s Sunday; Christmas Lights Switch-On; Senior Citizen’s Christmas Party; Kid’s Corner Craft and Fun Activities Event, Mayor’s Charity Events.
• Local Community Grant Funding;
• Ludlow Calendar of Events leaflet;
• Public Meetings;
• Planning Consultee - Local Representations to Shropshire Council;
• Communication and information via noticeboards, websites ludlow.gov.uk / www.ludlowmarket.co.uk a newsletter, in person from The Guildhall Offices, and social media.

Communication with your Town Council

We would like to hear your views.

Please get in touch

Contact: Gina Wilding, Town Clerk, Ludlow Town Council, The Guildhall, Mill Street, Ludlow SY8 1AZ.    T: 01584 871 970 E: townclerk@ludlow.gov.uk

 

Facebook:

Ludlow Town Council

Ludlow Museum at the Buttercross

Twitter: @LudlowTC          @Ludlowmarket       @TheButterX

Instagram: Ludlow Market

Trip Advisor: Ludlow Museum at the Buttrercross

 

Budget & Precept 2018 / 19

Budget & Precept 2018 - 2019

 

At Full Council on Monday 29 January 2018, Ludlow Town Council approved the budget for the next financial year 2018 – 2019.

 

COUNCIL TAX

 

The Town Council’s portion of council tax for 2018/19 is £545,166.00

This will increase band D Council Tax bill by £27.77 a year, which is an increase of 53 pence per week.

 

The amount will be slightly less for lower Council Tax Bands A-C

 

Summary of Ludlow Town Council’s budget for 2018 / 19:

 

Budget Expenditure:                                                                       £862,549.00

Budget Income:                                                                                £317,383.00

Precept amount:                                                                               £545,166.00

Income total:                                                                                     £862,549.00

 

Local Services Provided by Ludlow Town Council

The annual budget enables the continuation of local services & facilities including:

 

• Service provision and facilities management of Ludlow Museum at the Buttercross; The Guildhall Offices; Ludlow Market; Henley Road Cemetery – burial services and grounds maintenance; The Linney Recreation Area, Jetty & Toilets; Wheeler Road Skate Park, fenced ball games area, smaller children’s play area & Ludlow Boxing Club building; Houseman Crescent Play Area; Castle Gardens; St John’s Gardens; Town Centre Public Toilets; Riverside Life Buoys; Town Centre benches; Bus shelters; Ludlow Mayfair; and Websites & Newsletter

 

• Provision of Local Community Grants, Ludlow Calendar of Events leaflet, Public Meetings, Planning Consultee - Local Representations to Shropshire Council, Street Trading; and Christmas Lights & Tree – putting up, maintenance and storage.

 

• Event management of Civic Events – Remembrance Sunday with local partners, Mayor Making, Mayor’s Sunday, Christmas Lights Switch-On, Senior Citizen’s Christmas, Kid’s Corner Craft and Fun Activities Event

 

Staff

Running these local services gives employment to 20 full and part-time staff, which equates to 15.4 full time members of staff (FTE)

           

Public Consultation

Prior to agreeing the budget, Councillors hand delivered consultation forms to households in Ludlow. There was a good level of response – seven hundred and thirty-one in total.

 

Six hundred and nine paper consultation forms were returned to the Guildhall, Mill Street, and one hundred and twenty-two people completed the consultation online.

 

Nearly seventy percent of residents who replied expressed support for the Town Council to provide local services cut by Shropshire Council and agreed to an increase in Council Tax.

 

New Services being developed & Local Grants Awarded in 2018 / 19

Ludlow Town Council has already opened Ludlow Museum at the Buttercross in 2016 and is investing in developing this new tourism service with assistance from Shropshire Council.

 

A new grant of £5,000.00 has been allocated to support Visitor Information Services in Ludlow.

 

A new small grant has also been allocated to assist Friends of Corve & Teme  to develop a robust flooding strategy to support vulnerable locations and residents.

 

The town council have increased local community grants to £33,850.00 in 2018/19.

 

Ludlow Town Council and Shropshire Council have progressed talks regarding the Town Council taking on and maintaining twelve recreation grounds and play areas in Ludlow. The 2018 / 19 budget includes provision for this increase to local service provision.

 

Financial Planning:

The Town Council has planned and budgeted for works to the Guildhall; refurbishment of The Linney toilets; development of the cemetery paths, and replacement of older machinery.

 

The Town Council is growing to meet the extra demands required to support the recent improvements to service provision, large projects, and changing from an organization under pressure from of lack of resources into a resilient organisation.

 

Statement of Reserves

General Fund Reserves:                                                    £380,453.00
Allocated Reserves:                                                           £199,895.00 
Allocated Reserves are existing funds for future projects / works or unspent project funds.
Remaining Reserves:                                                         £180,558.00

                                               

Other Projects        

The Guildhall Grade I listed building – this project will be completed in 2018 /19 using existing funds.

 

The Town Walls Repairs: Ancient Scheduled Monument - the Town Walls Trust have funded the first phase of the works; and grant funding will be sought for phase two and three. There will be some costs to the town council in relation to professional and legal fees and provision for these is included within the 2018/19 budget.

 

Leading Ludlow’s Community Led Plan to create a new forward looking 5 – 10 year plan for Ludlow. The second stage consultation questionnaire will be released in February