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| Budget cuts force new thinking to services, says leader | Budget cuts force new thinking to services, says leader |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Whenever our local politicians feel the heat, watch out for a public consultation process. | Whenever our local politicians feel the heat, watch out for a public consultation process. |
| The results can provide a useful alibi and shield when difficult decisions are being made. | The results can provide a useful alibi and shield when difficult decisions are being made. |
| Leicestershire County Council has announced 700 additional jobs are facing the chop in a big round of further budget savings. For the first time in recent years, there's to be a council tax increase, going up by 1.5% | Leicestershire County Council has announced 700 additional jobs are facing the chop in a big round of further budget savings. For the first time in recent years, there's to be a council tax increase, going up by 1.5% |
| County Hall's Conservative leadership says its public consultation has shaped its spending priorities and which services are vulnerable to funding cuts. | County Hall's Conservative leadership says its public consultation has shaped its spending priorities and which services are vulnerable to funding cuts. |
| Like many other big councils, it's having to find more cash for adult care and children's services to meet growing demand and legal obligations. | Like many other big councils, it's having to find more cash for adult care and children's services to meet growing demand and legal obligations. |
| Volunteers needed | Volunteers needed |
| The days when finance chiefs could find low-bearing municipal fruit to chop have gone. | The days when finance chiefs could find low-bearing municipal fruit to chop have gone. |
| The message now is that core public services, such as street lighting, road maintenance, public transport, youth services, libraries and museums are in the firing line. | The message now is that core public services, such as street lighting, road maintenance, public transport, youth services, libraries and museums are in the firing line. |
| Many of Leicestershire's 53 libraries - especially the smaller ones in rural areas - are going to be offered to local communities to run for themselves. | Many of Leicestershire's 53 libraries - especially the smaller ones in rural areas - are going to be offered to local communities to run for themselves. |
| One idea for museums, such as the award-winning Snibston visitors centre near Coalville, is to get a trust to take it over. | One idea for museums, such as the award-winning Snibston visitors centre near Coalville, is to get a trust to take it over. |
| But what if there's no "Big Society" volunteers ready to step in? | But what if there's no "Big Society" volunteers ready to step in? |
| Council cuts to force new thinking? | Council cuts to force new thinking? |
| "We hope it will work. We'll have to work it out over the next few years," Councillor Bryon Rhodes, the council's deputy leader, told me. | "We hope it will work. We'll have to work it out over the next few years," Councillor Bryon Rhodes, the council's deputy leader, told me. |
| "But the consequences are clear. If no-one comes forward, then they will close." | "But the consequences are clear. If no-one comes forward, then they will close." |
| The council says it needs to find further savings of £110m over the next four years to bring its budget down by a third. The 2014-15 budget of £357m faces a 6% chop. | The council says it needs to find further savings of £110m over the next four years to bring its budget down by a third. The 2014-15 budget of £357m faces a 6% chop. |
| More savings | More savings |
| Its two neighbouring East Midlands Labour-run counties face similar pressures. Their cuts proposals are imminent. But those decisions too will be guided, they say, from public consultations. | Its two neighbouring East Midlands Labour-run counties face similar pressures. Their cuts proposals are imminent. But those decisions too will be guided, they say, from public consultations. |
| Nottinghamshire is looking at a cut of £154m from its budget and the loss of 750 jobs. | |
| Derbyshire needs savings of £157m by 2018. Jobs here are also on the line. Unions have warned that up to 1,500 posts are threatened. Labour-run Derby City Council has already announced 350 job losses over the next financial year. | Derbyshire needs savings of £157m by 2018. Jobs here are also on the line. Unions have warned that up to 1,500 posts are threatened. Labour-run Derby City Council has already announced 350 job losses over the next financial year. |
| "I'm continuing to take our case to the government but that's not enough," said Councillor Anne Western, Derbyshire's Labour leader. | "I'm continuing to take our case to the government but that's not enough," said Councillor Anne Western, Derbyshire's Labour leader. |
| "The challenge is how we protect some of the most vulnerable people in our community. | "The challenge is how we protect some of the most vulnerable people in our community. |
| "There are still some things we can do at the county council to trim savings. We are looking at disposing of land and buildings we are not using." | "There are still some things we can do at the county council to trim savings. We are looking at disposing of land and buildings we are not using." |
| The coalition government's deficit reduction programme aims to reduce local government spending by a third. But in the blizzard of big budget figures, it's easy to overlook one significant change to our councils since the last general election. | The coalition government's deficit reduction programme aims to reduce local government spending by a third. But in the blizzard of big budget figures, it's easy to overlook one significant change to our councils since the last general election. |
| Take Leicestershire as an example: before George Osborne's austerity strategy, the county council employed 15,000 staff. Within the next few years, the payroll will be no more than 6,000. | Take Leicestershire as an example: before George Osborne's austerity strategy, the county council employed 15,000 staff. Within the next few years, the payroll will be no more than 6,000. |
| Some will argue that many local services are being provided more efficiently now with less staff. Some services are simply no longer provided by the council. | Some will argue that many local services are being provided more efficiently now with less staff. Some services are simply no longer provided by the council. |
| I wonder if the impact of that will register in the public consultations. | I wonder if the impact of that will register in the public consultations. |