James Evison 25 October 2012

Council cuts: ‘end of local government as know it’

The scale of cuts to local authority budgets will mean salami-slicing departments has ended and councils will have to look at wholesale axing of services, the leader of Birmingham City Council has declared.

Sir Albert Bore, the Labour leader of Birmingham, said in a bleak video posted on the council’s YouTube channel, that he had previously thought the budget deficit for next year would only be £2-3m in May 2012. But due to the economic situation Sir Albert now believed the deficit to be more in the region of £40m – and potentially rising.

The interview came ahead of consultation on the 2013/14 budget for the UK’s largest local authority. Plans include an additional £100m in cuts and another 1,000 jobs to go next year on top of 1,000 that have already been lost.

Birmingham aims to cut more than £600m across six years from the start of the Government’s austerity programme in 2011, which will be introduced across its £1.2bn non-ringfenced annual budget.

Sir Albert also said some 48% of the controlled budget of the city council will be cut by the end of the budget period in 2017.

He said: ‘With the extent of the cuts over the past few years and with more to come, we have to start decommissioning services.

‘I am not looking forward to this but it has to be done.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

PRINCIPAL TRANSPORT PLANNING OFFICER

Hull City Council
£43693 - £46731
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to join our team in Hull as a Principal Transport Planning Officer. Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Recuriter: Hull City Council

HIGHWAYS AND TRAFFIC ENGINEER - 4 POSTS

Hull City Council
£43693 - £46731
We have several exciting opportunities for suitably qualified Highways Civil Engineers and Traffic Engineers Wilson Centre, 1st floor, Hull HU1 2AG
Recuriter: Hull City Council

Strategic Director, Finance and Resources (S.151 Officer)

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
£110,799 - £120,706
Blackburn with Darwen is a distinctive, welcoming and vibrant borough with a strong identity and a genuine buzz about the place. Blackburn, Lancashire
Recuriter: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Residential Worker, Edge of Care Service

Durham County Council
Grade 7 £29,093 - £32,654 PAY AWARD PENDING
Join a Groundbreaking Team Supporting Families in Seaham Salary
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Bikeability Cycling Instructor

Durham County Council
Grade 4 £24,790 to £25,992 pro rata (Pay Award Pending)
The Road Safety Team are keen to recruit additional Casual Bikability Instructors to join our team of instructors delivering Bikeability cycle trainin Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner