Southampton City Council (SCC) has published mid-year budget proposals to incorporate the manifesto pledges of the new Conservative administration.
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It includes a range of investments which the administration says are designed to help the city “bounce back” from the impacts of the Covid-19pandemic.
The overall package of additional capital investment is £26.4 million over the next two years, with an additional £3 million per year for revenue projects.
These investments will be used for a range of new initiatives that will be implemented immediately, and for some longer-term policies and projects.
The full set of proposals can be found on SCC’s website.
SCC leader Cllr Daniel Fitzhenry said he was “delighted” to be putting forward “ambitious budget proposals”.
“The council has played a crucial role in keeping people safe over the last 18 months or so, and we now have an equally crucial role to ensure we create an environment in which our business and residents can flourish to their full potential.”
He said the budget was “the first step in creating an air of energy and enthusiasm for our amazing city and to Get Southampton Moving to new levels of prosperity and growth”.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he said “there will still be money” towards the Bitterne Hub and the Sport Centre revamp, which are currently under review.
Cllr Satvir Kaur, leader of the Labour opposition group, told the LDRS: “Thanks to Labour’s careful management of public money, the Tories have inherited a healthy balance sheet which they’re now taking advantage of for short-term gains.
“But this won’t last, and instead of kicking the can down the road they will soon have to be honest with taxpayers about exactly how they plan to pay for the promises they’ve made, while dealing with chronic underfunding from their Conservative government.”
The budget proposals are due to be agreed at a meeting of the council’s Cabinet on July 19 before going to a vote at the Full Council meeting on July 21.
Additional reporting by Maria Zaccaro, Local Democracy Reporter