Trafford 2013-15 budget confirmed by full council (From Messenger Newspapers)

Trafford 2013-15 budget confirmed by full council

1:00pm Thursday 28th February 2013 in News

CASH-strapped Trafford Council’s budget proposals – which include 171 job losses, cuts to key services and a council tax freeze – were confirmed at a full council meeting last Wednesday (February 20).

The job cuts will be made between 2013 and 2015 and the number of losses has reduced by more than 20 since the draft savings plan was announced in October last year – all of which have been saved from front line services.

Leader of the council, Matt Colledge, said the revised budget has been amended following a 90 day consultation with staff and the public In order to make savings of £34million over two years, cuts will be made to services such as children’s centres, library staff, meals on wheels and council staff sick pay allowances.

However, specific decisions on contentious proposals such as the merger of Trafford’s 16 children’s centres into six community hubs and the phasing out of full time library staff, will be decided solely by the council executive on March 4.

Executive member for finance, Cllr Sean Anstee, said separate consultation had been carried out on these two issues as they are of particular importance to the public.

Despite the cuts, it was announced last month that council tax was to remain frozen for the third year running, absorbing the cost of Greater

Manchester Waste Disposal Authority increasing its levy by 14.2 per cent. Although the Conservative-led council approved the executive’s two year budget, it was not without reservations from the opposition parties.

Leader of Trafford Liberal Democrats, Cllr Ray Bowker, said: “If there was a small increase in council tax of 2.9 per cent, we could have £1.4million in savings for the council. This would only cost the average resident only about one or two pounds a week. That is not a lot to ask for our crucial services.”