26.09.17
Council to vote on restructure that could save £400k a year
Councillors will vote tomorrow on proposed plans for a management restructure of South Ribble Borough Council.
The exact plans have not yet been revealed, but the authority has said that it could mean savings of over £400,000 a year and will see the development of further shared services between the council and its neighbor, Chorley Borough Council.
Last week, Chorley councillors unanimously voted in favour of extending shared services with South Ribble.
The need to make savings was identified earlier in the year when it was revealed that the council’s budget deficit was likely to be over £1m by April 2018, increasing to £2.6m by 2020.
South Ribble chief executive, Heather McManus, said: “It is well documented that all local councils are facing challenging times and really need to look at the way they operate in order to continue to deliver the very best services for the residents in its borough.
“These proposals, if agreed, will transform the way we work and put regeneration and growth at the very heart of what we do. It will also help us save money so we can improve our services – offering the very best value for money possible.”
She added that all relevant parties, including staff, councillors and Unison had been consulted on the plans, and that she wants employees “to feel supported in all that they do and feel proud to work at South Ribble Borough Council.”
Leader of the council, Cllr Peter Mullineaux, said: “As leader, I welcome the proposed restructure and look forward to discussing the details at the meeting of Full Council on Wednesday evening.”