Serious budgets for serious times

Hello everyone, and now that the dust has settled on the Downing Street stage, it's time to get serious about the situation facing people in the real world.

Make no mistake about it - Bury, like councils across the country, is grappling with how to make huge cuts to its budget while protecting those who are most vulnerable.

The gap in on our budget projections for next year is around £29 million, due in large part to soaring inflation, fuel costs and increasing demand for services from the most vulnerable.

This is in sharp contrast to previous years when the council replenished its reserves and announced ambitious plans to help those most affected by the cost of living crisis and tackle the climate emergency.

That's why we have launched a public consultation with local residents and businesses, because it is vital that we hear what your priorities are before we set the budget, and that you are fully aware of how serious the situation is. There is no flesh left to trim - these cuts will go to the bone.

This includes saving £4.9 million from a review of high-cost social care placements and other measures affecting children's services; savings of £1.1 million to remodel sheltered housing support; and saving £1 million through an options appraisal of Bury Art Museum. There is also the potential for the council to lose 75 posts.

To read the proposals in greater depth, and to take part in the consultation, go to One Community Bury. You can take the survey any time until 15 December, and the results will be reported back as part of the final budget approval process in February 2023.

The situation is not helped by the delay in the Government's budget, when we will discover the true impact that the country's economic woes will have on public service providers like us.

We have major plans in the pipeline to regenerate our town centres, on which local jobs and our future prosperity lie. We should not be forced to choose between these long-term ambitions and keeping day-to-day services going.

As I say, we are not alone in facing these challenges. The Local Government Association, which represents councils across the land and led by different political parties, is forecasting a budget gap of £4.5 billion by 2025.

The LGA has also written an all-party letter to the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, which you can read here: Letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer from the Chairman and Political Group Leaders of the Local Government Association Chairman (Local.gov).

These are serious times, which require serious action - and that starts with properly funding public services to ensure our citizens and businesses don't just survive but flourish.