With inflation soaring, it was welcome news to hear that Conservative led Stafford Borough Council will be freezing the cost of the brown bin and parking charges across the Borough.
This is despite the fact that inflation will mean a predicted £2 million shortfall in the councils budget for 2023/24.
The car parking charges have been frozen as the council look to encourage more visitors to town centres to support local businesses who are still recovering from the pandemic. Leader of the Borough Council, Patrick Farrington
“We know what a difficult time this is for our residents and businesses. The cost-of-living crisis is hurting everyone in the community, and we are determined to keep fees and charges low wherever we can. Local authorities are also facing significant financial pressures. We have an exemplary record of managing our finances but the increases in the costs to our council along with reductions in funding, mean we are looking at a potential budget gap of around £2m. This will require us to make savings without losing the vital services we deliver to the public.”