Council’s bank balance worry

11:50pm Thursday 21st August 2008

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THE current economic downturn is hitting Malvern Hills District Council hard, according to a report outlining its financial position.

The council’s income from undertaking searches for house sales and from planning application fees are down, while the rising price of diesel is putting extra pressure on the annual budget.

In a report to the council’s executive committee, which meets on Tuesday, acting head of finance Andy Baldwin says: “The current economic downturn has had a detrimental effect upon some of the fee and income streams of the council.

“The slowdown in the housing market has meant the number of searches undertaken by the land charges team has reduced by more than 10 per cent.

“If this continues for the rest of the financial year then a shortfall of £60,894 on the budgeted income is projected.”

Mr Baldwin said the council had applied to the Government to increase the fee it charges for self service applications – also known as personal searches. The searches allow members of the public to request information on planning history, the local plan, the land charges register and building control applications.

The council wishes to raise the cost of such searches from £16 per application to £60 so that it can recover its costs.

Mr Baldwin said a fall in planning applications had meant the council was now receiving fewer fees.

“If the current patterns continue then a shortfall of £48,607 is projected,” he said.

And he points out that the rising price of diesel is continuing to put a strain on the budget, especially in the council’s operations department, which has already spent £48,000 over its fuel budget.

Because of the large amount of fuel needed by the council, a rise of just 1p at the pumps means a £2,500 increase on the council’s costs.

The report says the council has achieved £152,686 in efficiency savings so far during this financial year – its target is £488,550.

“Until the full savings are met by ongoing budget reductions and efficiencies, the remainder will have to be covered in this financial year by one-off savings largely as a result of vacancies being held open,” says Mr Baldwin.

On a more positive note he adds that the new national scheme for concessionary bus fares has been cheaper to operate in Malvern Hills than expected, resulting in a projected underspend of £99,416.

The council’s finances will be monitored monthly in what may prove to be a very difficult year owning to the economic slowdown and associated higher inflation, says Mr Baldwin.

“Every effort will be made to bring expenditure within budget by the end of the financial year,” he says.