Mayor's budget aims to make Doncaster the 'place to be for business and opportunity'

The mayor of Doncaster has set out her latest budget proposals, which aim to make the South Yorkshire town “the place to be for business and opportunity.”

The budget outlines how the council intends to support Doncaster’s economy, create new jobs, improve education and deliver new housing. It also continues the drive to deliver modern and efficient council services for children, older and vulnerable people, and in local communities.

As many of Doncaster Council’s initiatives for future growth are already underway, Mayor Ros Jones’ proposals state investing in the borough over the next four years to build upon this progress is critical.

Major place changing projects include the masterplan to transform the town centre and national initiatives such as the National College for High Speed Rail, due to open this September.

Phase two of the Great Yorkshire Way to improve travel links will press ahead later this year, and work is also expected to start on a similar link road scheme at Hatfield and Stainforth, to deliver regeneration in the east of the borough.

Investing in better education, housing, leisure and culture as well as attracting visitors to the borough also feature in her proposals.

More council homes would be built in 2017/18 with 79 being constructed, 360 new primary school places will be created, and the on-going scheme to replace the borough’s streetlights with more efficient versions will continue. These, amongst other investments, total £332m until 2021.

In addition, a new retail and leisure development at Herten Triangle on Lakeside is expected to create around 200 jobs, whilst delivering new income to reduce the impact of Government cuts to council services.

Mayor Jones said: “Doncaster’s skyline is changing and will continue to do so as we become the place to be for business and opportunity. We cannot take our eye off the future and the place we want to be so the right paced investment is critical.

“It has not been easy and there have been tough decisions but at its heart is the foundation that this council lives within its means and does the best it can for local people, communities and businesses.”

“Despite the tough financial climate we are in, Doncaster has amazing initiatives and future that others envy. We are - through the consistent hard work of local people, businesses and partners - a borough that is going places with a strong voice to be heard.

“The council is continuing to change and we are thinking differently and encouraging everyone to play their part in our borough’s story.

“I am optimistic that these proposals will continue the positive start we have made although the financial pain of more Government cuts will not go away, I am clear that this council deals with those effectively and we are in a strong position going forward.”

Mayor Ros Jones has outlined how the council would meet the challenges of less money and more financial pressures when she set out her budget proposals for 2017/18. The plan to meet the budget gap has not changed.

The council has been working to reduce spending by £176m as a result of government reduction in grants, rising prices and cost pressures by 2021. £109m has already been shaved from the local authority budget. This equates to more than £358 per man, woman and child in Doncaster over the last three years rising to over £578 by 2021.

The next 12 months from April 2017 will mean the local authority must reduce its spending by £23.5m to keep the financial plan on track and balance the books.

In her proposals the Mayor indicates where finances can be saved to meet the budget gap from targeting services so they make a difference to those people who need them most, making the most of technology, re-designing services so they are fit for the future and working in partnership with local communities, voluntary, charity and faith sectors to deliver services together.

The mayor also stated in her proposals that the ongoing challenges to reduce spending will continue up until 2021 with a further £43.3m needed to be found in reductions and efficiencies.

The Mayor’s proposals will be discussed at Council on March 2 2017.