21.12.17
Yorkshire council’s £43m budget deficit to inflict 153 more job losses
A local authority in Yorkshire is expected to face a £43m annual budget gap over the next three years.
Doncaster Council has confirmed that there will an additional 153 job reductions as it tries to balance the books against reduced central government funding.
Ros Jones, mayor of the authority, said “savage” Whitehall cuts had made it difficult for Doncaster to maintain high-quality services for residents.
According to Jones, the council will have made £267m of cuts between 2020-21 and the start of the government’s austerity measures in 2010-11.
The council will be trying to save money and continue running services by creating innovations in other sectors, specifically using new technology to streamline systems and attempting to create income in other areas.
“There has been no let-up by the government,” Jones commented. “Their savage cuts to council budgets have left us with another significant budget gap. Over the next three years, we need to meet a further budget gap of £43m and this is on top of the £224m of ongoing savings we have already had to find in our annual revenue budget since the government austerity measures began.
“In light of the economic challenges we continue to face, it doesn’t get any easier to prepare a budget which invests in our future, protects the most vulnerable and maintains the services that matter most to our residents. However, this is our key priority and I believe we have achieved this in my draft proposals.”
The plans involve taking advantage of the government’s 2% social care levy to create funds which can be used to keep people who need care in their own homes for longer, saving money on long-term costs and easing pressure on services.
Jones explained: “Unfortunately, the government’s actions mean we have little choice but to put council tax up and face some potential post reductions. It is a major disappointment that the government fails to get a grip of the issues facing NHS and social care funding, choosing instead to continue to pass this burden on to local council tax payers.”
NHS funding has become an increasing problem for authorities, as the lack of beds and appropriate care for patients can lead to a greater strain on services run locally, with the same problems equally hitting the health service.
Doncaster council will continue to run some major infrastructure projects in the hope that new developments – such as the city’s Herten Triangle project – will create jobs and economic growth.
Draft proposals for the budget are available online here and a period of consultation will now take place until the issue is discussed at by the full council on 5 March 2018.
Top image: Nico 65
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