THE ‘no-frills budget airline of the council world,’ that is how Shropshire Council is describing itself as it attempts to find £60million in cuts and savings, but what will these cuts mean to the man on the street?
An announcement of where Shropshire Council will ultimately make the cuts and savings required by Government, is expected on October 20, but until then local residents are being urged to tell the authority which services to keep cut.
Council cabinet members were at local joint committee meetings around the county last week stressing nothing has so far been ruled in or out, but warning people to expect major cuts.
“It will be very much a no-frills approach,” said Cllr Steven Charmley, “We will have to become the budget airline of the council world.”
Deputy Leader Ann Hartley added cutting bureaucracy, business travel, and freezing recruitment would save millions but would not be enough: “We are almost going to have to go back to basics and reinvent the way we deliver things. We are looking at scaling back services or stopping them in their current form.”
There is to be no increase in Shropshire Council tax in 2010/11 and possibly 2011/12 and 2012/13.
Shropshire Council say it is important that the quality of services people value most is not sacrificed and are urging people to get in touch and make their views known now.
Possible measures so far voiced at the recent LJC meetings include:
Council services: Handing over some services and responsibilities from shire hall to local councils
Voluntary sector: Making greater use of social enterprises and voluntary groups to maintain some services.
Schools: Far greater partnership between village schools, but with some inevitable school closures. Chief Executive Kim Ryley said the county had more schools than it needed and he expected some closures would be unavoidable over the coming years.
Grants: Residents have been told to expect significant cuts in government grants, estimated at around £9.7million.
Council Staff: Shropshire council are to put a freeze on recruitment but the authority say this will not be enough to avoid redundancies.
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