Sheffield Green Party has put forward alternative proposals for Sheffield Council’s budget, while stressing again that spending cuts are unnecessary and unfair.
The Greens’ alternative budget emphasises job creation and the safeguarding of services for young people. Their budget modifies some of the Lib Dems’ proposals for spending and reductions, so as to provide sufficient money to allow reversal of some of the Lib Dems’ other proposed cuts.
Green Cllr Jillian Creasy said, “Our overall aim is to protect people and communities in the city. We would put money into energy projects and local food growing, which would create jobs, save money and help the city’s economy.”
She continued “The Greens would also give priority to children, young people and other vulnerable groups, because they will be particularly affected by spending cuts. Our measures would reduce the damage to services for Sheffield’s people, local communities and organisations, and the city as a whole.”
ENDS
Ongoing Revenue Resources
| Savings | |
| Description | £000s |
| Reduction in political advisors time for all political parties | 30 |
| Sales of food grown from food growing project | 10 |
| Roll parental consultation into existing Community Assembly work within existing resources | 50 |
| 90 | |
One-off Revenue Resources
| Investments | Savings | ||
| Description | £000s | Description | £000s |
| Extend Affordable Warmth | 2,000 | LABGI resources | 2,000 |
| Food growing additional up-front investment | 50 | Remove Rural Strategy work | 50 |
| Reprioritise the administration’s £350k amendment to the outurn report | 350 | ||
| Total | 2,050 | 2,400 | |
(m) These changes result in an increase in available revenue resources for 2010/11 of £440k, which will be used as follows to reverse some of the cuts in ABG projects proposed by the Administration:
| Description | Administ-ration Proposal | Green Party Changes | Revised Total | Comment |
| Study Support | 331,156 | 45,156 | 376,312 | Reverse the proposed cut |
| Sustainable Travel – General Duty | 25,975 | 8,658 | 34,633 | Reverse the proposed cut |
| Teenage Pregnancy | 144,000 | 100,000 | 244,000 | Reverse £100k of the proposed cut |
| Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CaMHS) | 843,064 | 90,000 | 933,064 | Reverse £90k of the proposed cut |
| Sustainable School Travel Strategy | 0 | 29,000 | 29,000 | Reverse the proposed cut |
| Children’s Fund | 443,007 | 65,172 | 508,179 | Reverse the proposed cut |
| Positive Activities for Young People | 1,763,302 | 102,014 | 1,865,316 | Partially reverse the proposed cut |
| Total Green Party Changes | 440,000 |
Capital Resources
| Investments | Savings | ||
| Description | £000s | Description | £000s |
| Energy Efficiency I2S scheme on Council Properties | 6,500 | Borrowing | 6,500 |