Thomas Bridge 18 October 2013

'Dark day' for Wolverhampton as it launches £64m saving proposals

Wolverhampton City Council has unveiled £64.4m saving proposals, on what it is calling a ‘dark day’ for the local authority.

Warning some services ‘would have to go’ for the council to produce a balanced budget, Wolverhampton announced that it expects to increase council tax by 2%, raise £1.1 million by amending the way it runs its youth services, and reduce costs in every department across the town hall.

Cabinet member for resources, Cllr Johnson said the council had ‘no choice’ but to plan for cuts to services while the Government ‘continued to slash’ its funding allocation.

savingsWolverhampton needs to identify £33.1m of additional savings on top of the £64.4m outlined in proposals.

Johnson said he was ‘extremely angry’ that government cuts had forced the local authority to announce job losses – with 1,000 jobs needing to be cut over the next five years on top of the 889 already shed.

While the 165 individual savings proposals could raise £64.4m for Wolverhampton, the authority would still need to identify another £33.1m of savings to meet its target by 2018/19.

Cllr Johnson said: "This is a dark day for Wolverhampton. We have done everything we possibly can to protect essential services from cuts, but the Government continues to slash the funding it gives to Wolverhampton and we have no choice.

‘Places like Wolverhampton are being hit much harder by these Government cuts than wealthier areas of the country and there is just no way we can make these levels of savings without dramatically reducing our spending in terms of the services we provide.’

Consultation on the proposals will begin in November, with final budget recommendations being discussed in March 2014.

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Principal Transport Planner (Strategy)

North Northamptonshire Council
£46,731-£49,764
We are looking for an experienced professional to join North Northamptonshire Council as a Principal Transport Planner (Strategy). Sheerness House, 41 Meadow Road, Kettering moving to Haylock House, Kettering Parkway, Kettering NN15 6EY, United Kingdom
Recuriter: North Northamptonshire Council

Highways Capital Delivery Manager

South Wales Trunk Road Agent
£50,788 - £52,805
To be responsible for the implementation of Welsh Government’s Renewal and Upgrade programme. Baglan, Port Talbot
Recuriter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Engineer x 2

Hounslow London Borough Council
£47,532 –£55,620 per annum
Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be. Hounslow (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recuriter: Hounslow London Borough Council

Part Time Prison Library Assistant - HMP/YOI Chelmsford

Essex County Council
£25081.00 - £27653.00 per annum + Pro Rata
Part Time Prison Library Assistant - HMP/YOI ChelmsfordFixed Term, Part Time£25,081 to £27,653 Per Annum, Full Time EquivalentLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Head of SEN Assessment & Resolution

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council
£77136 - £88230 per annum
Shape a fairer future for children with special educational needs.As Head of SEN Assessment and Resolution at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chel England, London
Recuriter: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council
Linkedin Banner