OLDHAM COUNCIL has begun engagement with staff, residents and trade unions on proposals to make an estimated £30million in budget savings during 2016/17.
Major reductions in funding from central government mean the local authority has already had to make savings totalling £176 million in the past six years.
The council has started initial discussions to help identify alternative solutions to avoid potential job losses and impact on service delivery.
They would like to hear views on how they can work with locals to tackle this latest challenge while building a co-operative borough.
This means delivering more services in partnership with other organisations like the police, fire service and NHS, while reducing or stopping some services.
This is the first step to achieving savings and work is underway to identify additional proposals to meet this budget challenge.
Councillor Abdul Jabbar, Cabinet Member for Finance and HR, said: “The last six years have been challenging times as we have had to make £176 million in savings.
“By 2017, the government will have cut more than half our total budget. We have been squeezed and squeezed and still we are creating new and innovative ways to providing vital services for our residents.
“This has been made possible with the incredible support of our hard working staff, residents, volunteers and local businesses and organisations.
“Unfortunately, we still have further savings to make and it will inevitably impact the services we deliver.
“We provide around 700 services for residents that range from caring for vulnerable people to collecting your bins, and from adoption and fostering to libraries and parks.
“Every service has been looked at, and continues to be looked at, to see how we can deliver it for less but mitigate the impact it has on service users.
“Due to cuts in our budget some services have been reduced, traded off or stopped.
“The measures we are outlining are only proposals at this stage. It is vital all employees, residents and Trade Unions continue to cooperate in a constructive and realistic way which can help us shape our final options.”
Watch Oldham Council’s budget video online and join in the conversation on how to save money and do things differently by visiting www.oldham.gov.uk/letstalkbudget
Alternatively you can also have your say on Twitter @OldhamCouncil using the hashtag #letstalkbudget
You must be logged in to post a comment.