Comment
No bog standards for Bloxwich – yet
On 9 July 2010, Walsall Council announced that they had drawn-up a schedule of efficiency savings of £7.7 million to be made by the authority. This was in the wake of the emergency budget announced by the coalition government, or “Con-Dem Axis” as they are rapidly becoming better known, who have been busily pulling the rug from under public spending, apparently at random, since the Lib Dems signed their pact with the devil just a few short months ago.
Up to 11 posts were due to be “lost” as part of the fresh round of cuts which brought “efficiencies” achieved by the council in four years to £43 million. The proposals were subsequently approved.
Councillor Mike Bird, Walsall Council Leader, said at the time the cuts were announced that strenuous efforts had been made to protect frontline services. He also said “It’s worth stating that we are in a slightly better position than other authorities because of a slightly higher council tax rise this year. This means we are better prepared in Walsall than many others to protect services.”
The proposed fresh round of savings came after £14.3 million had already been saved this year and followed £12.6 million of “efficiencies” in 2009/10, £7.78 million in 2008/9 and £8.86m in 2007/8 making a combined total of more than £43 million.
Since then, matters have certainly not improved, and are unlikely to do so for the foreseeable future…
There is no arrangement at the local level between Lib Dems and Tories so the link through to the Westminster Government is tenuous but it does show what the Tories are capable of if left to their own devices.
On another point I’ve yet to hear from Labour what they would have cut to reach their cuts target of £45Billion.