'City council will invest not cut' vow as funding boost hopes are raised

INVESTMENT rather than cuts was the message from Coventry City Council's ruling Labour group as it set out its annual budget consultation.

- By DAVID LAWRENCE Local Democracy Reporter

The announcement came amid expectations that the city will receive a larger slice of government cash when the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement is confirmed later this month.

Potentially, this will mean that, for the first time in around 15 years, the council will be able to set a balanced budget without having to make significant service cuts.

Cllr Richard Brown, cabinet member for strategic finance and resources, said: "This cautiously positive picture has been made possible thanks to the financial prudence exercised by the council as our budgets were cut, austerity and the ongoing cost of living crisis. We've had to make very difficult decisions, saving £66m over the last five years alone, to meet our statutory duty of agreeing a balanced budget.