This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-20038979
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Birmingham City Council announces £600m of cuts | Birmingham City Council announces £600m of cuts |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Bosses at Birmingham City Council say £600m of savings must be made by 2017, with £120m in the next financial year. | Bosses at Birmingham City Council say £600m of savings must be made by 2017, with £120m in the next financial year. |
Cuts of £62m to the Labour-run authority's 2012-13 budget were voted for in February with warnings that 1,100 jobs could go. | Cuts of £62m to the Labour-run authority's 2012-13 budget were voted for in February with warnings that 1,100 jobs could go. |
Council leader Sir Albert Bore said the authority was still looking at those job losses "over the next few years". | Council leader Sir Albert Bore said the authority was still looking at those job losses "over the next few years". |
He said some of the council's services would have to be "decommissioned" completely to meet the savings targets. | He said some of the council's services would have to be "decommissioned" completely to meet the savings targets. |
The council leader warned the authority could face an additional £60m to £70m of cuts on top of the £120m for 2013-14, depending on reductions in direct government grants. | |
'Horrendous' situation | 'Horrendous' situation |
He said he had written to Eric Pickles, the minister in charge of local government, for clarification. | He said he had written to Eric Pickles, the minister in charge of local government, for clarification. |
Sir Albert said the authority was now looking at cutting £600m in total over the six years running up to March 2017 - £200m more than initially thought. | Sir Albert said the authority was now looking at cutting £600m in total over the six years running up to March 2017 - £200m more than initially thought. |
He blamed successive cuts in government grants for the council's "horrendous" financial situation, which he said had not taken into account population changes, inflation and other costs. | He blamed successive cuts in government grants for the council's "horrendous" financial situation, which he said had not taken into account population changes, inflation and other costs. |
The leader said the government had banned authorities from raising council tax by more than 1.6% without holding a referendum among voters about whether they would be prepared to pay more. He refused to rule that out as a possibility. | The leader said the government had banned authorities from raising council tax by more than 1.6% without holding a referendum among voters about whether they would be prepared to pay more. He refused to rule that out as a possibility. |
Sir Albert said: "This is the end of local government as we have known it. | Sir Albert said: "This is the end of local government as we have known it. |
"But this is not the end of local government completely. | "But this is not the end of local government completely. |
"It needs to be inventive, it needs to find new ways to work with partners like public agencies, schools and the business community to find different ways to do this." | "It needs to be inventive, it needs to find new ways to work with partners like public agencies, schools and the business community to find different ways to do this." |
Labour took over the running of the council, the UK's largest local authority, in May from a Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition. | Labour took over the running of the council, the UK's largest local authority, in May from a Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition. |
The council said it would be holding several public meetings from next month over which services should go. | The council said it would be holding several public meetings from next month over which services should go. |
Sir Albert said that at its height, the council employed 19,000 full-time members of staff but that figure would fall to less than 15,000 over the "next few years". | Sir Albert said that at its height, the council employed 19,000 full-time members of staff but that figure would fall to less than 15,000 over the "next few years". |
He said it would be mid to late-November before the authority would have more details on how many and what sort of jobs would be affected, although he said some senior posts could be axed. | |
Sir Albert said there could be "no more 'salami-slicing' of services". | Sir Albert said there could be "no more 'salami-slicing' of services". |
He added: "With the extent of the cuts over the past few years and with more to come, we have to start decomissioning services. | He added: "With the extent of the cuts over the past few years and with more to come, we have to start decomissioning services. |
"I am not looking forward to this but it has to be done." | "I am not looking forward to this but it has to be done." |