Consultation on next stage of council saving plans

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Consultation on over £30million of savings to be made by Rochdale Council has started.
The measures form the second phase of the council’s challenge to save £50million in the next financial year.

The proposals which are approved for consultation are:

• £10 million - Adult Care and Support.
• 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.

Finer details of the proposals include:

• The bed based service at Springhill Resource centre being moved to Tudor Court
• The removal of the school uniform grant scheme
• Reduction in delivery of parent empowerment activities, early years support and one to one support for children.
• Reducing the number of local councilors from 60 to 40.
• Holding whole council elections every four years rather than every year.
• Limiting Mayoral engagements
• The closure of the Jumbo Social Centre in Middleton 
• To remove grant funding allocated to the Spotland Community Centre, Castlemere
• Community Centre, Rochdale Centre for Diversity and Wardleworth Community Centre.
• Reorganisation of senior management posts. Reducing the number of Executive Directors from five to three. Reducing the number of service directors from 14 to 19 

Council Leader Irene Davidson said: “No final decisions have been taken on our phase two proposals, and we are communicating regularly with staff, unions, customers, residents and partner organisations to manage the impact of these savings fairly, aiming to minimise the impact on front line service delivery wherever possible.

“Please take a look and tell us what you think of the proposals. We won’t be able to do everything we have done in the past but want to make changes that reflect our resident’s priorities, ensuring we deliver vital services for the widest amount of people.”

“But this is not just about savings. Councils are having to reshape and become more efficient.”

The leader of the Labour party in Rochdale, Councillor Colin Lambert said: “We take a view that they have approached this wrongly. We still believe that the first jobs to go should be the none jobs but they have kept what we would call none jobs while hitting the front line services.

“So far we have been approached by workers across services and they are all to do with front line services such as children’s services, Sure Start, adult care and the elderly.

“The local council coalition has totally endorsed the national coalition’s view which is to wipe out local services.

“The council will be left with office workers and no one to look after and care for the elderly, no one to help families and no one to clean our streets.”

Phil Roberts, GMB Branch Secretary said "These cuts will be devastating for front line cleaning staff and for the social care staff who look after the vulnerable people of Rochdale.

“We are still in discussions with Rochdale Council as the 90 days consultation on the job losses and restructuring has just begun.

“GMB are planning meeting with members department by department to seek their views on these proposals".

To see all the phase two proposals visit: http://www.rochdale.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/consultations.aspx
The closing date for phase two of the public consultation is 26 January 2011 at 5pm.

Comments and suggestions will be considered before spending decisions are announced in February 2011.