Council leaders in Bury have launched a public consultation on plans to cut £11.6 million from services in next year’s (2016/17) budget.
But they have warned that a sixth successive round of huge cuts will have serious implications for the council’s ability to provide services in the way that people have got used to.
Savings have been identified across the authority (listed below), and residents are now being asked for their views. Consultation begins today (Thursday 10 Dec) and runs until 9 February 2016. The council will set the budget on 24 February 2016.
Councillor Mike Connolly, leader of Bury Council, said: “We will not know for certain how much Government funding we will receive until later in December, at the very earliest.
“What we do know, however, is that years of relentless and unprecedented cuts in our grant mean that we will have to change the way we provide services, with more being done online and by residents and communities.
“Based on a combination of these huge grant reductions, and increasing demand for vital services for vulnerable adults and children, we are now expecting to have to cut a further £11.6 million from services.This is on top of the £54 million that we have already been forced to cut since 2011.
“As ever, we will try our hardest to protect front-line services and find more efficient ways of working – but this is becoming increasingly difficult.”
Cllr Connolly said he was seeking residents’ views on what council services they valued the most, which ones could be run or managed by the community, and how the council could increase its income to protect services.
“I know that Bury residents highly value council services and don’t want to see any of them cut, but this is simply not possible,” he said.
“We have now had to make £65 million in cuts in the last six years. No organisation, or a family, could have their income cut in half and not have to slash their spending.
“We have lost more than 400 employees since 2011 due to the cuts, including a 30% reduction in management costs. This leads to service reductions, alternative ways of delivering services being explored, increased waiting times and/or reduced quality of service and limits to what we can afford to do.”
He said the council would continue to work with individuals and communities to encourage them to undertake more for themselves.
“The council might, for example, provide facilities or equipment but residents may have to organise events, maintenance or provide support. This is what has already successfully happened in areas such as self-management of bowling greens, football pitches and play areas.
“We also need to manage demand for services. A successful example of this has been through our promotion of more recycling, which has significantly reduced our waste disposal costs and saved money for other important council services. We have also launched a new council website so that more can be done online rather than face-to-face, in the same way that many people will already be familiar with by using the internet to shop, bank or book holidays.”
How to have your say
Budget presentations will also be given at the next round of Township Forum meetings:
