Agenda item

A presentation from Marc Read, Head of Environmental Services, on behalf of  Salisbury City Council.

 

The Board received an update from Marc Read, Head of Environmental Services, on behalf of Salisbury City Council.

 

Overall

With an emphasis on improving the council’s financial situation, it had been a year of giving the leaders of the city council the tools to make evidence-based decisions.

New Responsible Finance Officer

Rectified legacy issues relating to VAT and satisfied HMRC’s examination.

Reported underspend of over half a million pounds as of month 8 of the financial year.

 

Budget Setting

The process had started much earlier on the previous year with two parallel budgets being prepared by the administration and the opposition.

Improved resources to Health & Safety, learning & development, Cyber Security and enhanced maintenance budgets for SCC assets.

3 new operative positions in grounds and 2 in Streetscene.

 

Business Services:

SWR & Salisbury shop mobility scheme began in January 2025.

Sunday Car boot sales starting in February.

Cost reduction exercise underway

CAD technology programme purchased to better plot use of market and Guildhall square for events

 

HR:

22 new staff

HR team completed actions identified by external health check for payroll

 

Corporate Services:
Overseen key civic events such as Remembrance and Armistice, Charter Sunday

Reviewed governance documentation, phone and IT contracts to achieve costs saving efficiencies.

Planning for elections, 1^st May

 

Community Services:

A busy Christmas with 12 events.

Wiltshire creative Panto Ticket Scheme for 80 local people on low incomes

Bring a Tin to Work with local businesses and volunteers

The Great Salisbury Toy Appeal distributing over 300 toys to local children

Winter clothing event

Holocaust Memorial Day annual event.

 

Environmental Services:

Streetscene team had a new gum gun

Installation of 20 new double recycling bins

Working in collaboration with Wiltshire Council to combat fly tipping

 

340 trees planted with 60 new cherry trees in Churchill Gardens in the new landscaped area

Washroom/shower facilities upgrade - Camping & Caravan Club (a major income generator for the council)

Work starting at the end of February on a landscape project at Rowbarrow in Harnham using s106 funds.

 

CCTV

Training 4 new CCTV Volunteer Operators

 

Crematorium

Leaking roof replaced.

 

 

Questions and comments:

 

Could you update on the closure of the public toilets in Market square?

Answer: The toilets had to be closed after the pump motor burnt out due to someone discarding underwear inside it. Quote to repair the pumps had been sought and an order for parts placed. No timescale yet for when the toilets would be operational again.

 

The Board praised the comprehensive update report and welcomed further updates at future meetings.

 

Had SCC accounts been audited?

Answer: Moving forward SCC would be audited as a principal authority, the same level of detail and scrutiny as Wiltshire Council would be subjected to. SCC was also seeking to appoint an external auditor.

 

What process did SCC follow when purchasing new vehicles?

Answer: The default preference was to buy electric vehicles. The only time we would buy a diesel would be if no suitable alternative was available.

 

How much would it cost to deliver Streetscene and park services (grounds maintenance) in Salisbury in 2025-26 compared to four years ago in 2021-22?

Answer: Marc agreed to find the response and feedback to the Area Board

 

SCC was receiving almost £3m more per annum from the precept than four years ago. Where was that extra £3m being spent?

Answer: Marc agreed to find the response and feedback to the Area Board

 

Note: Following the meeting, a response to the outstanding questions was provided and is included below:

 

1)    How much will it cost to deliver street scene and park services (grounds maintenance) in Salisbury in 2025-26 compared to four years ago in 2021-22? 

 

The City Council has fundamentally changed its budgeting and accounting in the last 12 months in order to provide better quality service costing information.  We are therefore able to provide very accurate and much more complete 2025/26 costing information:

 

Streetscene - The Streetscene team at Salisbury City Council is dedicated to maintaining the cleanliness and aesthetic appeal of the city's public spaces. Their responsibilities include:

• Removing litter from streets and public areas.
• Servicing and emptying street litter bins.
• Sweeping streets to ensure they remain tidy.
• Removing weeds, graffiti, and fly-tipped waste.
• Gathering evidence for potential prosecutions related to environmental offenses.
• Operating Streetscene vehicles and equipment, such as steam cleaners.

 

The team works throughout the week, including weekends, to ensure that Salisbury's streets and public spaces are clean and welcoming for residents and visitors alike. £1.1m (incl. £700k salaries and oncosts, £210k vehicle leasing, £65k waste disposal)

 

Parks services - The Parks and Grounds team at Salisbury City Council is responsible for the maintenance and enhancement of the city's parks, green spaces, allotments and recreational areas. Their key duties include:

 

• Grounds Maintenance: This encompasses mowing, strimming, gardening, hedge trimming, and planting to ensure that parks and open spaces are well-kept and visually appealing.
• Sports Facilities Upkeep: The team manages and maintains sports pitches, sports walls, and skateparks, ensuring they are safe and accessible for public use.
• Tree Management: Overseeing the city's tree stock, including planting, maintenance, and health assessments, to promote a healthy urban forest.
• Allotment Oversight: Managing allotment sites across Salisbury, providing residents with spaces for community gardening and cultivation.
• Volunteer Coordination: Collaborating with volunteer groups to support various projects and initiatives within the parks and green spaces)

 

£1.2m (incl. £804k salaries and oncosts, £180k tree surgery, £65k vehicle leasing, £65k waste disposal)

 

Whilst it will now be possible to compare service costing information for 2024/25 and subsequent years, unfortunately it is impossible to compare such costs with 2020/21 or any other years before 2024/25 because full costs such as payroll were not apportioned.

 

2)    SCC is receiving almost £3m more per annum from the precept than four years ago. Where is that extra £3m being spent?

 

Each year, during the budget-setting process, the Council tots up all expenditure and income estimates across the organisation for the forthcoming year.  Like most other councils, inevitably the services are provided at a net cost even after accounting for estimated income streams.  The shortfall is funded from the precept.  The larger the shortfall, the greater the precept.  The precept is never analysed between services, so it is not possible to identify what each £1 of precept funds; nor is it possible to identify precisely what any increase in precept funds.  Instead, the Council can only identify what additional services or higher service standards have resulted when there has been an increase in precept.

 

I confirm that the precept for 2021/22 was £3.051m and the precept for 2025/26 is £5.944m i.e. an increase of £2.893m.  Salaries and pension/National Insurance oncosts rose from £1.707m to £3.7m over that 4-year period, i.e. accounting for £1.993m (or 69%) of that precept increase.  Some of this increase is due to four annual pay awards, incremental progression for some staff and increased burdens from statutory changes in employer pension and NI contributions.  Part of the increased pay bill is due to increased headcount, with 23.5 extra staff required for insourced Streetscene/Grounds services (road-sweeping, litter picking, bin-emptying), Facilities management posts, extra grounds maintenance operatives, HR personnel, finance apprentice etc.

 

Year on year the Council’s headcount has been as per below:

 

		Average people
01/04/2016	31/03/2017	54.5
01/04/2017	31/03/2018	55.5
01/04/2018	31/03/2019	58.5
01/04/2019	31/03/2020	66
01/04/2020	31/03/2021	70.5
01/04/2021	31/03/2022	70
01/04/2022	31/03/2023	78
01/04/2023	31/03/2024	87

 

The remaining £0.9m (31%) increase in precept over the 4-year period covered:

- consequential cost pressures from insourcing the Streetscene team e.g. additional financial commitments in vehicle leasing (substantial investment in electric fleet)

- investment in the new depot including additional PWLB loan interest payments

- substantial dilapidation costs arising on terminating old depot lease

- substantial building, repairs and maintenance costs arising from rectifying historically under-maintained property assets (e.g. Crematorium roof, toilet block refurbishments, Crematorium wall, Wyndham Park wall)

-  utilities inflation

- contracts inflation (e.g. contract cleaning)

- insurance premium inflation