'CHALLENGING’ is a word that has been used often in recent years to describe the council’s financial position, writes Swindon Borough Council leader DAVID RENARD.

During that time we have had to make difficult, but necessary decisions on how we provide services and, in the main, we have managed to secure the future of these services by changing how we work and using new and innovative ways to deliver them.

Yet trying to find tens of millions of pounds in savings every year is an increasing struggle and we are now reaching the point where something has to give.

The harsh reality is that we can no longer afford to keep providing services that many people take for granted.

We currently spend around £4 million each year on cutting the grass, emptying litter and dog bins, cleaning low-level graffiti, and keeping play areas maintained in neighbourhoods across the borough.

However, we know that in less than four years’ time, we will spend 80 per cent of our budget on helping vulnerable people. It doesn’t leave much money for everything else.

We also cannot increase council tax as the money raised would have to go towards those services the law requires us to provide, such as safeguarding children and caring for vulnerable elderly residents.

As a result, we will no longer be able to carry out these visible local activities and one of the items my Cabinet colleagues and I will be discussing next Thursday is how these services can continue to be delivered.

Cabinet will be asked to give local people more power over local services by considering the potential of creating parish councils covering the entire borough.

We know the parish model is an extremely good way of devolving power and choice to local people and we also know it has proved to a very effective way of delivering services.

For the last two years, some current parish councils have taken on some roles from us and feedback has shown that residents have seen real improvements in their local area.

Of course transferring the costs of these resources to parish councils will result in residents having to pay slightly more in council tax every year, but the estimated average increase of £1.44 per week would be ring-fenced funding that local people would be able to prioritise what it is spent on.

If Cabinet agrees to the proposals in the report we will be engaging with local communities over the next six weeks before using any feedback from residents to draw up draft recommendations in August before a full consultation later in the year.

I would therefore urge people to get involved in the process so they can help shape how these services are delivered in the future.