Telford & Wrekin Council chiefs unveiled budget cuts – and then challenged opposition Labour councillors to come up with alternative plans before criticising their own.

The war of words broke out after the council’s Conservative administration revealed budget plans resulting from a cut of almost £19 million in funding over the next two years. The council’s cabinet will discuss the proposals next week.

The cuts could include overnight street lighting and concessionary travel.

Labour group leader Councillor Keith Austin had predicted the council would make “devastating cuts” to frontline services.

He had also said the cuts were coming at a time when he claimed tens of millions of pounds were being spent on “lavish” new civic offices.

Council leader Andrew Eade today called on Councillor Austin produce an alternative budget.

He said: “The Conservative administration has been working very hard over the past three years to put the council’s finances on a sound footing and has already reduced expenditure by more than £16 million while slashing council tax and increasing investment in regeneration schemes across the borough.

“The budget is critical to our future and, as the main opposition leader, Councillor Austin must shape up to his responsibilities.

“For the first time in more than three years, he must provide detailed budget alternatives to spell out whether he would continue the council’s substantial regeneration schemes across the borough while continuing to restructure the council to reduce costs.”

Councillor Austin said today: “We are calling for a proper briefing on the budget, something we haven’t had as yet. When we get that we will obviously consider alternatives.

“We will decide whether to put forward an alternative when we have considered the budget in detail.”

Council’s planned savings

• Extending the switching off of street lights in non-residential areas between midnight and 5am only (£61,000).
• Reducing repairs to street lights, roads and pavements and reducing traffic management schemes (£125,000)
• A review of transport services, including changes to subsidised bus services and Wrekin Connect (£362,000).
• Changing concessionary travel — offering only free bus travel from 9.30am, instead of from 9am (£184,000).
• Reducing shrub-bed maintenance and the regularity of grass cutting and road sweeping (£391,000).
• Removing recycling banks in places such as pub and supermarket car parks (£135,000).
• Reviewing charges for a small number of environmental services, including bulk collections and the council’s only two charging car parks at Ironbridge and next to the Town Park in Telford town centre. The maximum proposed increase would be 20p (£101,000).
• Review of school milk provision in primary schools by asking parents to opt-in to the scheme (£75,000).

By Simon Hardy