£17.7m savings to be made before 2015 (From Prestwich and Whitefield Guide)
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£17.7m savings to be made before 2015
9:30am Wednesday 16th November 2011 in News
LIBRARIES, children’s centres and highways are in the firing line as bosses of cash-strapped Bury Council today unveil a budget “blueprint”.
These could become the major target areas as council chiefs aim to find savings of nearly £18 million over the next three years.
Among the proposals contained in a Plan for Change draft document are reductions of £493,000 in highways services, libraries service savings of £540,000, and cuts which could impact children’s centres and older people’s services. Bosses say job losses among council employees are inevitable, although it is hoped these can be achieved voluntarily.
The draft programme of savings is now subject to a 12-week consultation before the budget is set in February. More than 3,500 people took part in a Choices consultation to identify their most important priorities. The three highest ranked were supporting vulnerable people, a strong local economy and a decent place to live.
Council leaders have made budget proposals for the next three years. From the start of the 2012-13 financial year, the authority has to find a further £17.7 million of savings by 2015.
Plan for Change draft savings include internal efficiencies worth £10,409,000, new proposals accounting for £4,120,000 and savings from existing work totalling £3,192,000.
Council leader Mike Connolly said: “Our residents were fantastic in the consultation with so many of them coming forward to give us their views. Now, we need them to do the same again. We have taken on board what people have said and drawn up these proposals.
“We face some of the most challenging times in recent history and have worked hard to put together proposals that will minimise the effect on frontline services and residents, despite losing almost one-third of our controllable income over four years. We need to change the way we work and be up front about our vision and strategy. We want the public to engage with us.”
Bury Council chief executive Mike Kelly said: “We have made a conscious decision not to announce any job losses. But clearly, there will be.” He hopes these will be met through a three-year voluntary scheme open to 5,500 staff.
Liberal Democrats leader Cllr Tim Pickstone said: “Cutting £2 million from older people's services, cutting £1.7 million from things like road repairs and street cleaning and cutting £1.2 million from libraries, youth service and leisure are major cuts to basic services. This is a Labour council closing libraries, cutting back on road repairs and reducing home support for older people.”
The proposals can be viewed, and feedback submitted, by visitng: bury.gov.uk/planforchange
Comments(6)
pablozabaleta
says...
4:54pm Fri 11 Nov 11
In fact, Labour basically won the election because of that campaign.
And yet it turns out that they too will be making cuts, perhaps even deeper ones than previously.
It's not their fault of course, they're following government orders. And the government are reacting to the global financial crisis.
But the fact remains that Labour won control of Bury Council with a campaign they knew was enormously hypocritical. They convinced people to vote for them because they opposed cuts, but knew full-well that they would have to make cuts themselves.
That sounds like nothing more than the theft of an election for power.
buryreader
says...
7:33pm Fri 11 Nov 11
why does Bury need the library at Castle leisure centre when we already have a library.
Pensioners should pay concessionary bus fares not get it free, bus passes should not be given until at least 68yrs not the current 60/61yrs, has the age of retirement rises, heating allowance should be means tested and not applicable for pensioners living abroad.
No, i am not against pensioners but anyone now 65 or younger was not living in the war, they started adulthood thru the 60' and 70's ect, many have not took any responsibility for their retirement relying on state pension. Take a walk in M&S during the week, the food department is full of 'poor pensioners' who cant afford heating or bus fares.
Alot of children desribed has living in poverty own the latest trainers, latest gadgets, iphone, computer ect
The state should provide in crisis not has a matter of course
Babbar Divino
says...
8:26pm Fri 11 Nov 11
buryreader wrote:Yes agree with you 100%. I have nothing against helping people if they are actually in need but there does need to be some means testing done. I must be in poverty as I don't have an iphone, my trainers are 5 years old although I do obviously have a computer
It is no suprise cuts are needed, probably every council in the country are in a similar position.
why does Bury need the library at Castle leisure centre when we already have a library.
Pensioners should pay concessionary bus fares not get it free, bus passes should not be given until at least 68yrs not the current 60/61yrs, has the age of retirement rises, heating allowance should be means tested and not applicable for pensioners living abroad.
No, i am not against pensioners but anyone now 65 or younger was not living in the war, they started adulthood thru the 60' and 70's ect, many have not took any responsibility for their retirement relying on state pension. Take a walk in M&S during the week, the food department is full of 'poor pensioners' who cant afford heating or bus fares.
Alot of children desribed has living in poverty own the latest trainers, latest gadgets, iphone, computer ect
The state should provide in crisis not has a matter of course
Babbar Divino
says...
8:26pm Fri 11 Nov 11
buryreader wrote:Yes agree with you 100%. I have nothing against helping people if they are actually in need but there does need to be some means testing done. I must be in poverty as I don't have an iphone, my trainers are 5 years old although I do obviously have a computer
It is no suprise cuts are needed, probably every council in the country are in a similar position.
why does Bury need the library at Castle leisure centre when we already have a library.
Pensioners should pay concessionary bus fares not get it free, bus passes should not be given until at least 68yrs not the current 60/61yrs, has the age of retirement rises, heating allowance should be means tested and not applicable for pensioners living abroad.
No, i am not against pensioners but anyone now 65 or younger was not living in the war, they started adulthood thru the 60' and 70's ect, many have not took any responsibility for their retirement relying on state pension. Take a walk in M&S during the week, the food department is full of 'poor pensioners' who cant afford heating or bus fares.
Alot of children desribed has living in poverty own the latest trainers, latest gadgets, iphone, computer ect
The state should provide in crisis not has a matter of course
KevinL
says...
4:34pm Wed 16 Nov 11
I don’t understand why they think sacking some dinner ladies and crossing keepers will save them lots of money – removing layer upon layer of overpaid council management would save much more and rid us of some of the councils bizarre priorities (ipads for bin men etc etc)
On a similar theme I went to the excellent ceremony at the cenotaph last Friday, an event attended by the mayor. Could the council confirm why the mayor needs a newish Jaguar with a private plate and why he could not walk the 200yds from the town hall? I didn’t even see a “pay and display” ticket on the car despite it being parked in a bay requiring one – and I didn’t see it get parking ticket either even though there must have been a dozen traffic wardens in the area.
If the mayor really does need an official vehicle, which I seriously doubt, perhaps he should hire one for the few hours its needed rather than waste yet more of our money on it!
R'Marcus says...
4:27pm Thu 10 Nov 11