Council set to debate Leeds budget cuts and housing rent increases

Leeds councillors are set to debate a £90 million funding black hole at a meeting of the full council next Wednesday. Among the budget proposals the full council will be asked to approve are the closure of leisure centres, day centres and residential homes, Leeds Crisis Centre and the reduction of 1,500 staff. Councillors will also be asked to approve an average council house rent increase of 6.84%, increase service charges in line with rents and increase garage rents to £6.49 per week. Last year, councillors passed council house rent rises of 3.1%. They will also be asked to approve no increase in the Leeds element of the Council Tax for 2011/12. Reports for next week's meeting have been released today and can be found here . Here's the executive board report of two weeks ago which will form the basis of the council's budget: revenuebudgetcoverreportapps020211-1 Next week's full council meeting starts at 1pm in Leeds Civic Hall. Campaigners fighting to save Leeds Crisis Centre and two mental health day centres from closure will be demonstrating before the meeting.