Birmingham jobs axe swings again
Birmingham City Council, the UK’s largest local authority, has been forced to cut another thousand jobs. And the council says it is very close to a point where it will be decommissioning whole services — stopping doing things completely — rather than just “salami slicing” or making efficiency savings.
Setting out the city’s Future and budget consultation 2014-15 white paper, Labour leader Sir Albert Bore said last month that on current forecasts the council will need to have found £840 million in the six years from 2010-11 to 2017-18 .
That would be “more than two-thirds of the budget we have any choice over how to spend”. This year alone, it will be making cuts in the region of £120 million.
Bore was able to point to progress in some areas (new leisure centres, children’s safeguarding and plans to extend the Living Wage to those providing social care on behalf of the council).
But, after already losing a third of its workforce since 2010-11, a thousand more jobs must go now and there will be further, substantial cuts going towards 2017-18.