Mark Whitehead 27 January 2023

Commissioner ‘optimistic’ about council’s future

Commissioner ‘optimistic’ about council’s future  image
Image: Yossa Song / Shutterstock.com.

A Government-appointed commissioner says he is optimistic about Liverpool City Council's future despite warnings of ‘considerable uncertainty’ ahead.

Officials were sent to oversee some departments at the council in 2021 over a ‘serious breakdown of governance’.

Lead commissioner Mike Cunningham said a glimmer of hope about the council's future was beginning to shine through.

However, the commissioners warned there was ‘considerable uncertainty’ ahead.

Mr Cunningham spoke as the council faced a £73m budget gap, which could see services and jobs being cut.

A document outlining where savings could be made was published by the authority in November 2022.

The city’s mayor Joanne Anderson warned there could be a potential rise in council tax and an increase in fees and charges as well as a review of its libraries and fitness centres.

In a report to the council the commissioners praised the authority for identifying ‘significant savings’ and said it was taking an important step towards meeting its financial obligations.

But they warned: ‘However, there is still considerable uncertainty about the scale of the challenge, the robustness of the savings, and the adequacy of the response that will need to be addressed between now and when the final decisions are made in March.’

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