Phase two of council saving plans announced

Leader of the council, Councillor Irene Davidson described the plans as a "challenging time for everyone"

Councillors in Rochdale have agreed for consultation on over £30million of savings as part of Rochdale Borough Council’s second phase of measures to help save £50million in the next financial year.

Following the Comprehensive Spending Review last week the council are working to assess the implications for Rochdale, as more details are announced by the relevant Government departments on how they are implementing their reductions.

The proposals, which have also been considered by the all-party Efficiency Committee prior to consultation, include:

• £10 million – Adult Care and Support transformation
• Over £5 million -Children’s Services
• £6.5 million - Reductions in regeneration funding, together with Environmental Management, Planning and Housing savings
• £2.5 million – Further management reductions across services and partnership savings
• £4.5 million – Further savings from Finance, HR, Legal, Performance Transformation, Communications and Facilities Management
• £1.5 million – Savings on the costs of current decision making processes. 

It’s anticipated that the net reduction in posts will be between 300 - 350. There will be briefing sessions with staff this week to explain the proposals.

The proposals will include ceasing service provision. The council’s website and libraries will hold important information from the 2 November 2010. Residents are encouraged to put forward their views.

Council Leader Irene Davidson described it as an unprecedented reduction to the council budget: “These new provisional savings proposals aim to address our largest saving target of £50 million and we’ve had to think and act radically.”

Staff, trade unions and local residents will now be consulted on the proposals, before final decisions are taken in February 2011. The proposals will be considered as part of the setting of a balanced budget in February 2011.

Councillor Davidson added: “We’re also trying to protect the frontline services vulnerable people depend on by delivering services for less money.”

“Dialogue with the voluntary sector and our partners will continue during the consultation.”

“We are looking at different ways to reduce the impact of redundancies; this includes early retirement and voluntary redundancy.”

Letters have been sent to all staff recently.

Councillor Davidson said the council is doing all it can to keep compulsory redundancies to a minimum: “Given the scale of the financial challenge we’re facing, we must consider all options available to us in order to avoid more redundancies than is absolutely necessary. We are considering all suggestions and proposals as to how we can do this.

"Clearly we won’t be able to continue to deliver everything. There is no doubt this will be a challenging time for everyone.

"We are committed to handling job reductions sensitively so we can minimise and where possible avoid having a negative impact on our hardworking and dedicated staff.”

The Leader of the Labour Party, Councillor Colin Lambert said: “No matter how the Con Dem coalition in Rochdale try to spin this story when the fine details are out it will be frontline services, the vulnerable, elderly and children that will be hit hard by these savage cuts. Whilst those in non-jobs will still be protected.”

Members of the public can still give their views on the first phase of savings, to save the first £14million. Visit www.rochdale.gov.uk/yourviews or send your comments by post to Phase One Public Consultation, Floor 6, Telegraph House, Baillie Street, Rochdale OL16 1JA.

The closing date for Phase One of the public consultation is 8 November 2010 at 5pm. Comments and suggestions will be considered before spending decisions are announced in December 2010.