Wales ‘will do better than UK under spending review’
Thursday 21st October 2010, 9:45AM BST.
Wales faces a tough challenge but will do better than the rest of the UK under the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, it was claimed today.
While the Welsh Assembly, councils and police forces across the nation are facing cuts after Chancellor George Osbourne’s review yesterday, in Mid Wales politicians and Dyfed Powys Police say they are facing up to the challenge better than they would be in England.
Meanwhile, Powys County Council said it was “too early” to comment until it had its budget settlement from the Welsh Assembly.
Wyn Williams, Liberal Democrat Welsh Assembly prospective candidate for Montgomeryshire, said: “The decision to protect health and education spending means that the Welsh Assembly will do proportionately better than the other parts of the UK.”
Dyfed Powys Police Deputy Chief Constable Jackie Roberts said: “Based on the information we currently have it appears that our existing plans are on track to make the required savings outlined but nonetheless this will still be a significant challenge.
“From early calculations we predict that we will need to reduce our annual budget by £8 million by 2014/15, with almost three quarters of the savings having to be achieved by 2012/13.”
Councillor Russell George, county member for Newtown and prospective Conservative candidate for Montgomeryshire, said he felt Wales had been given a “far better” settlement than he expected.
Brecon and Radnorshire MP Roger Williams added: “This is a tough package of measures to reduce the deficit, but it is necessary to ensure that we can take steps to tackle the debt.”
l Challenge — Pages 6&7
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