Shropshire Star

Telford council expects to balance books but warns on front-line service cuts

Council chiefs in Telford say they expect to be able to balance the books again this year – but only by using nearly £4 million in reserves.

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It will leave just £700,000 spare to meet any unforeseen costs for the remainder of the financial year up to next April, a report to tonight's meeting of Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet will be told.

Finance chief Councillor Lee Carter said it was a "very hard road ahead" and warned that such levels of savings could not continue without cuts to front-line services.

The council must find at least another £35 million in Government cuts over the next three years, on top of the £70 million annual figure it has chopped from the budget since 2010.

The near £3.6 million figure from "contingencies" to ensure a break-even position will leave a balance of just £709,399 in reserve.

The council had already set aside £3.25 million from that pot to cushion the impact of cuts in Government grants to adults and children's services.

But Councillor Carter said the authority would not be able to prop up public front-line services for much longer if cuts continued at the current rate.

He added: "The council is committed to ensuring that it balances its budget which is very difficult when the Government are making very significant reductions in grants year after year, forcing cuts to services.

"This is a warning for all of us of the very hard road ahead."

The report will be discussed at a meeting of the council's ruling cabinet at 5pm today at the authority's headquarters Addenbrooke House in Ironmasters Way.

Members of the public are invited to attend, with other items on the agenda including a discussion on bus subsidies.

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