Consultation on Council Cuts

15 September 2010, 06:00

A consultation’s starting after one of our council’s announced they need to make around £10 million in savings.

Bedford Borough Council has said that around 200 jobs will be lost following cuts in government funding – although we won’t know the exact number until the spending review takes place on the 20th October in Parliament

The town’s Mayor, Dave Hodgson, has told Heart:

“These are tough financial times for the country and we have tough decisions to make to provide a balanced budget. We are working towards a freeze in council tax while at the same time continuing to invest in services that are the priorities of our residents.”

Councillor Michael Headley is the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Asset Management and has told Heart:

“The majority of these savings have been found by creating new ways of working that don’t affect frontline services, like merging systems in our HR and Payroll sections and saving£260,000 from updating and improving our waste and recycling collection routes.

“We are committed to providing good financial management and working for our residents in an open and transparent way. That is why we are amongst the first councils in the country to announce their proposals so that there can be a full and open consultation with local residents.”

The council will formally consider the budget for 2011/2012 at its Full Council meeting in February.