Revenue Savings proposals 2024 and ongoing (2)

Revenue Savings (2024 and ongoing)

Braunstone Town Council has approved options for reducing expenditure in 2024/2025 and in future years, to ensure the Council focusses its activity and spending on its key priorities and objectives given the current financial constraints and future financial uncertainties.

A consultation was held between Monday 13th May and Monday 3rd June 2024 inviting residents, stakeholders, and the Citizens’ Advisory Panel to have their say on the proposals and to identify other areas for consideration.

One-off Revenue Savings for 2024/2025

The following have been approved as one-off revenue savings for 2024/2025. The associated budget has been vired to the Contingency fund. The funds exist in the budget base for delivery in 2025/2026, although there is a risk that costs will increase and therefore, additional one-off funding may need to be found.

TABLE 1 - One-off Revenue Savings for 2024/2025
Description of one-off saving	Details and Delivery	Saving
Salary Savings: fixed term reduction in contracted hours	Approved until March 2025. Permanent Contract: employee could return to establishment hours.	£16,500
Biodiversity Study and Management Plan	Strategy doesn’t provide a timeline for delivery; therefore, Policy & Resources can postpone delivery to 2025/2026.	£5,200
Carbon Audit – First Review	Scheduled 2024. Strategy due to be reviewed June – September 2024. Merits in postponing to 2025 to provide full year data on solar panels and on battery storage due to be installed later this year.	£4,000
Vehicle Costs	Contract renewal and costs have risen. Delivery not until September 2024 but budgeted for whole financial year.	£3,290
Notice Board Renewal	Year 3 of a 5 year programme; either Capital Plan updated to add another year or remaining 3 year programme delivered over 2 years form 2025/26.	£2,000
TOTAL		£30,990

Ongoing Revenue Savings for Future Years

Some future and ongoing revenue savings have an initial cost. Given the current financial constraints, the savings identified have been assessed to ensure they exceed or at least match any initial cost within the financial year.

The following ongoing savings have been approved:

TABLE 2 – Ongoing Annual Revenue Savings
Description of one-off saving	Details and Delivery	Set up Cost	Annual Saving
Business Waste Collections	Previous contractor increased their price. Other contractors approached to quote. Quotes assessed to ensure the service was comparable. Cheapest comparable quote at £4,524 p.a. was accepted given it is within delegated spending amounts.	£0	£3,741
Sanitary Waste Collections	Alternative contractors approached and a cheaper contractor was found and accepted given it was within delegated spending amounts.	£0	£847
Car Park Lighting	Turning off half the car park lights at Shakespeare Park and Thorpe Astley Community Centre (10 in total). There would still be more lighting than at the Civic Centre Main Car Park. View the proposals. There are no plans to change footpath lighting at Franklin Park, Mossdale Meadows or Thorpe Astley Park.	£226	Approx. £800 to £1,000.
Installation of PIR sensors in corridors	Installation of PIR sensors in corridors at Braunstone Civic Centre. Initial cost; quotes being obtained.	£547	Approx. £450 to £600.
Splitting off Lighting Circuits	Splitting off lighting circuits in the Council’s buildings, to enable lighting to be turned off in unused areas or for less lighting to be used where the circumstances allow. Initial cost; quotes being obtained.	£200	Approx. £200 to £250
TOTAL		£973	£6,038 to £6,438

A copy of the report, along with a summary of the consultation responses, is availble here.

Review of Data Protection Policy - Consultation

Braunstone Town Council needs to collect and process data for the purposes of undertaking its duties and responsibilities, providing public services to customers, residents and hirers, to operate as a body corporate and as an employer.

The processing of personal data is governed by the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation. The Council’s Data Protection Policy provides a framework for ensuring that Braunstone Town Council meets its obligations

The current Data Protection Policy was adopted on 30^th April 2018 and therefore, is scheduled for review to ensure that it is fit for purpose for the nature and scale of the Town Council’s activities.

Proposed Revised Policy

The main areas of change in the updated policy are incorporation of:

Purpose and Scope;
pseudonymised personal data;
sensitive personal data;
the process for making and responding to a subject access request; and
Monitoring.

The proposed revisions to the Data Protection Policy are highlighted.

Have Your Say

Residents, customers, users and partners are invited to comment on the proposed revised Data Protection Policy to ensure that it would be practical and fit for purpose.

You may make comments in writing to the Chief Executive & Town Clerk, Braunstone Town Council, Braunstone Civic Centre, Kingsway, Braunstone Town, LEICESTER, LE3 2PP or by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The deadline for consultation responses is 9am on Monday 23^rd October 2023.

The post consultation version of the Data Protection Policy will be submitted to Policy & Resources Committee on 2nd November 2023 for consideration and adoption. At this stage it is proposed the decision take effect from Monday 6th November 2023.

Review of Braunstone Town Council’s Health & Safety Policy Statement – Consultation

Review of Braunstone Town Council’s Health & Safety Policy Statement – Consultation

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Braunstone Town Council is responsible for the health and safety of its workforce and any other persons who use its facilities and services or who may be affected by our activities.

The current Health and Safety Policy Statement was adopted on 30th April 2018 and, therefore, is scheduled for review to ensure that it is fit for purpose for the nature and scale of the Town Council’s activities.

The main changes in Health & Safety obligations since 2018 are as follows:

1. Building Safety (Building Safety Act 2022) – this relates to multi-residential high rise buildings and the Town Council are not responsible for any.

2. Fire Safety (The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2023) – this also mainly relates to high rise buildings; there are requirements concerning quarterly inspections of fire doors, which the Town Council already undertakes

3. Mental Health - The Health & Safety Executive has put the reduction of work-related ill health, with a specific focus on mental health and stress, at the centre of its 2023 strategy and says that it intends to "deliver interventions that make a real difference". Employers have a duty to employees and other workers (which includes contractors) to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, their health, safety and welfare (under sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974). This includes mental as well as physical health. This duty is not new, but has not, until recently, been the principal area of activity for health and safety regulators, whose enforcement action has focused on risks to physical health and safety.

4. Homeworking – The Heath & Safety Executive has made it clear that organisations that continue with homeworking or hybrid-working following the Covid-19 pandemic should keep under review how they are meeting their duties to ensure a safe and healthy working environment, being mindful of the differences in the risks to employees of working from home and remotely and working in an office environment. The Town Council permits hybrid working and therefore it is to revisit systems for managing risks, including in the areas of mental health, lone working and ergonomics, to make sure they remain fit for purpose in supporting the Council to meet its health and safety duties.

5. Protect Duty (draft legislation) – new legislation is intended to tighten security at venues in the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing. They require venues and local authorities to have preventative action plans against terror attacks. The protect duty applies to public venues (including Community Centres and Libraries) and public spaces (including parks and playgrounds).

Review of Policy & Procedure

The main areas of change proposed are incorporation of:

Employee Induction Health & Safety Training;
Job Roles and Responsibilities;
Mental Health;
Homeworking; and
Prevention of Terrorism.

The proposed policy is now available for consultation and comments and suggestions are being invited to ensure that it would be practical and fit for purpose. Please find the Health and Saftey Policy here: Health and Safety Policy Statement

The deadline for consultation comments is 12noon on Monday 14th August 2023.

You may make comments in writing to the Chief Executive & Town Clerk, Braunstone Town Council, Braunstone Civic Centre, Kingsway, Braunstone Town, LEICESTER, LE3 2PP or by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The post consultation version of the Health and Safety Policy Statement will be submitted to Policy & Resources Committee in September for consideration and adoption.

Councillor Callistus Fonjong

Liberal Democrat Party - Thorpe Astley Ward

Address: c/o Braunstone Civic Centre, 209 Kingsway, Braunstone Town, LEICESTER, LE3 2PP

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Telephone: 07460821423

Fax:

Elected: October 2022

Committees:

Outside Bodies:

Improvements to Cycling and Walking Routes

Braunstone Town Council is working with Leicester City Council, Blaby District Council, Leicestershire County Council and Sustrans on a plan to jointly invest around £1.2million in a range of improvements to create a safer and more attractive route for pedestrians and cyclists between New Lubbesthorpe, through Thorpe Astley and Meridian, into Braunstone Town and on to the Great Central Way and Leicester City Centre.

The City Council led scheme is backed by over £600,000 of funding from the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) through the Leicester and Leicestershire Business Rates Pool fund. In addition, £450,000 funding has been secured from the Department for Transport’s Paths for Everyone scheme with our delivery partner Sustrans.

The proposals involve a range of improvements to create a safer and more attractive route for pedestrians and cyclists through Braunstone Town, Thorpe Astley and Meridian as follows:

Meridian Way

Proposals:

Widening the footpath from 1.5m to 3m between the Murby Way and Foxon Way roundabouts
Narrowing of road crossing distances at the roundabouts at Murby Way and Foxon Way to create safer crossings at these junctions
Narrowing of the crossing distances at the northern arms of the 2 roundabouts over A563 Lubbesthorpe Way to help all users cross at these junctions

Progress:

Designs completed and being assessed for safety stage
Once approved - trial to test capacity and design

Delivery:

Estimated Start date for works: January 2025
Estimated Completion May 2025

Meridian Leisure (which will be delivered as part of a project coordinated by its owners Savills)

Proposals:

new path and access between Chiquito restaurant and Vue cinema onto Mossdale Meadows to allow users to to have a connected route between Meridian Way,Thorpe Astley and Mossdale Meadows, Braunstone Town
CCTV enhancements
signage improvements

Progress:

Work Commenced in June 2023
Stage 1 & 2 complete
Stage 3 to be delivered

Delivery:

Stage 3 due to be completed by Spring 2025

Mossdale Meadows

Proposals:

Widening of the footpath from 1.5m to 3m from Kingsway to connection with Meridian Leisure, and vegetation clearance to improve visibility on blind corners to provide an enhanced pedestrian and cycle route
lighting to be installed to create a more attractive and safer environment for all users
additional CCTV installed
Signage improvements through the park for walkers and cyclists
To improve problems with flooding at car park entrance from Kingsway -not included in the original works but Braunstone Town Council is aware of the issues and proposes to install drainage work to the car park and resurfacing of the car park.

Progress:

Work commenced in February 2023
Stage 1 - 3 complete, subject to minor snagging
Stage 4 to be delivered
Drainage plans have been comissioned and tender documents prepared for quotations to undertake the proposed work to the car park drainage

Delivery:

Stages 1 - 3 delivered
Stage 4 due to be completed by Spring 2025

Drainage Work to Car Park (outside scheme): Tenders received and preferred contractor selected. Public Consultation September / October 2024, Borrowing Application November 2024, Work to commence Spring 2025.

Kingsway

Proposals:

Creation of new 3m footpath to allow easier access from the western to the eastern side of the Kingsway
Widening of footpath from 1.5m to 3m in the vicinity of the Narborough Road South underpass
Creation of new 3m path to provide improved access from the Kingsway to Aylestone Meadows

Progress:

Awaiting Lighting Assessment, Technical Approval and agreement for dropped kerbs from Leicestershire County Council
Blaby District Council have agreed works over the green space

Delivery:

Estimated Start date for works: January 2025
Estimated Completion May 2025

Aylestone Meadows

Proposals:

Improvement to the existing boardwalk and access at Kingsway, to provide a better access to the Meadows for all users
New 3.5m path across Aylestone Meadows, connecting onto existing track for pedestrians and cyclists
Resurfacing of existing track to a width of 3.5m, up to Braunstone Lane East.

Progress:

Stage 2 & 3 complete;
stage 1, new Boardwalk to be delivered by specialist contractor.

Delivery:

Estimated Start date for Boardwalk and access works: December 2024
Estimated Completion February 2025

Town Council Leader, Councillor Nick Brown, states “with our Climate Change & Environmental Strategy, the Town Council is committed to working with our partners across the City, District and County to deliver infrastructure improvements which will support our residents to safely walk and cycle both within our Town and beyond to access local facilities, services and employment”.

Route Overview Map (PDF)

More information about this scheme and the other Transforming Cities Fund Projects in and around Leicester is available on Leicester City Council's website. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Telephone: (0116) 454 2461.

Updated: November 2024

Revenue Savings proposals 2024 and ongoing (2)

Revenue Savings (2024 and ongoing)

Ongoing Revenue Savings for Future Years

A copy of the report, along with a summary of the consultation responses, is availble here.

Review of Data Protection Policy - Consultation

Review of Braunstone Town Council’s Health & Safety Policy Statement – Consultation

Councillor Callistus Fonjong

Liberal Democrat Party - Thorpe Astley Ward

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Improvements to Cycling and Walking Routes

Meridian Way

Meridian Leisure (which will be delivered as part of a project coordinated by its owners Savills)

Mossdale Meadows

Kingsway

Aylestone Meadows

More information about this scheme and the other Transforming Cities Fund Projects in and around Leicester is available on Leicester City Council's website. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Telephone: (0116) 454 2461.

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