Telford & Wrekin Council refuses to rule out more job cuts
Tuesday 19th July 2011, 12:01PM BST.
Bosses at Telford & Wrekin Council today have refused to rule out further jobs being lost as they unveiled their alternative budget proposals.
The new Labour administration at the authority was unveiling its budget after seizing power in the May local elections.
Proposals in the budget include scrapping building council offices at the Southwater Development and moving into two authority owned buildings at Darby House and Wellington.
Changes are also proposed to be made to other major projects to save almost £3 million a year.
Private contracts could be renegotiated in an attempt to drive down costs to cover £35m of cuts in Government funding over the next two-and-a-half years, as well as current council debt.
Council chiefs said they would have to use £9.2m of one-off savings to help cover £13.6m of cuts this year.
Councillor Bill McClem-ents, cabinet member for resources and service delivery, said: “When we took power in May, we were very concerned about the level of debt and the costs of this to the council – which then takes away funding which we need just to support existing day to day services, hence our pledge to produce a 100-day budget review. Now we have strong and swift action to address this.
“Our proposals show how through our co-operative council approach, we can still maintain significant capital investment action while reducing debt costs and using these savings to protect frontline services.”
The budget was today criticised by Councillor Andrew Eade, leader of the Conservative opposition, who said: “Labour’s strategy is now becoming crystal clear in that we’ll see massive hikes in council tax next year to pay for their inaction.”
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When did the council buy Darby House? They kept that quiet, last time I heard it was a lease and that the rent cost more than 500,000 per year.
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