Liverpool City Council has reported progress in recovering owed income and managing its finances as part of a wider transformation programme. The improvements, which come amid tough times for all local authorities, include ensuring money owed is paid in a timely manner, such as by streamlining payments and processes via an online system. Other successes include clearing a backlog of invoices, increasing revenue from skip hire and hoarding and scaffolding rental, reducing school absence fines payment time and recovering nearly £1.5m owed by cruise operators. Last year, 1,600 households cancelled their discount on Council Tax following checks, generating an extra £760,000 a year.
An in-year review of fees and charges benchmarked some costs against other local authorities or inflation to generate more revenue. Ruth Bennett, Liverpool deputy council leader and cabinet member for finance and resources, said it was “absolutely vital” to recover owed money in timely fashion. She added the recent changes put the council “on a firmer financial footing” as it prepared to set its 2024-25 budget. The council forecasts its £17.6m overspend for 2023-24 will be managed by increasing spending controls via managing vacancies and strengthening contract and procurement management.
These steps are required in light of demand pressures in adults and children’s services, special educational need transport and emergency homelessness accommodation the council says are impacts of the cost of living crisis. Directorate controls are expected to reduce the overspend by the end of the financial year with the use of service-related reserves, which have been reviewed to remove requirements on revenue budgets. In a bid to be efficient and productive, Liverpool City Council’s transformation program is providing benefits not only for its activities in government, but also the convenience of its people and businesses
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