£64million cuts debate begins next week (From Bucks Free Press)
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£64million cuts debate begins next week
6:00am Saturday 28th August 2010 in
A CASH strapped council wants residents to help it work out how to save £64million over the next four years - starting next week.
The first of a series of public meetings dubbed the ‘Bucks Debate’ begin on Thursday.
They will give taxpayers an 'interactive' platform to have their say on where the axe should fall.
Conservative controlled Buckinghamshire County Council must find ways to close a £27m funding gap and make reductions ahead of budget cuts from Government.
Up to 500 jobs are to be axed and the council faces around a 25 per cent reduction in its funding.
The new Government has pledged to freeze council tax for at least one year – giving authorities no choice but to make cuts and savings.
Already a raft of cuts totalling £9.2million have been voted through in August's emergency budget.
These have taken immediate effect and cover residential care for OAPs, alcohol treatment and domestic violence programmes, the Connexions schools career service and child protection.
Buckinghamshire County Council leader Cllr David Shakespeare explained why immediate action was vital during the meeting, saying BCC was “on course to spend £12m of council tax payers’ money that we haven’t got.”
A further £3million of cuts could also be on the cards.
Opposition Lib Dems said it was the wrong time to start the cuts.
Cllr Mary Baldwin, the Liberal Democrat group leader, said it should wait until October - when the Government publishes its Comprehensive Spending Review.
This will set the tone for public spending in the years to come.
Cllr Baldwin said the process was “flawed”.
Further cutbacks will have to take place over the next four years, totalling about £64million.
Roadshows, public meetings and an online debate have all been set up to gather as many opinions on where the savings can be made.
Deputy Leader Cllr Bill Chapple insisted the input of residents was vital and urged everyone to contribute.
"I cannot emphasis too strongly the need for residents to get involved with the Bucks Debate. I really believe in people power,” he said.
"This Council has got to make some tough decisions in the coming months, and it's important we have a sound understanding of public opinion to shape those decisions."
The first two meetings are due to take place on Thursday at Royal Latin School, Buckingham, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and Friday at Great Marlow School, Marlow, from 7pm to 9pm.
More information about the meetings and other ways you can contribute to the cuts debate can be found via the link below.
Comments(18)
ferrellcat
says...
8:46am Sat 28 Aug 10
yog
says...
8:48am Sat 28 Aug 10
Iceland, Pathfinder....millio
ns have been wasted by this failing Council and still Shakespeare is picking up thousands in allowances.
yog
says...
8:48am Sat 28 Aug 10
Iceland, Pathfinder....millio
ns have been wasted by this failing Council and still Shakespeare is picking up thousands in allowances.
ChilternsBlue
says...
8:59am Sat 28 Aug 10
As a lifelong Wycombe fan, this is in neither the club's nor the town's interests. Let Mr Hayes meet the costs himself and save taxpayers the money.
J T Emanuel
says...
9:14am Sat 28 Aug 10
The Judge
says...
9:29am Sat 28 Aug 10
WHEN ARE THOSE RESPONSIBLE GOING TO BE SACKED OR HELD TO ACCOUNT?
IF THOSE WHO SPECULATED WITH OFF-SHORE FINANCIAL DEALS WOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND FORCED TO SELL THEIR HOMES TO REPAY MONEY LOST WE WOULD RECOVER MONEY NEEDED TO KEEP VULNERABLE PEOPLE SAFE.
ITS A SCANDAL AND WE NEED AN URGENT INVESTIGATION TO BRING THOSE TO BOOK.
JUDGE
The Judge
says...
9:33am Sat 28 Aug 10
The Judge wrote:CUT TEACHERS PAY AND CHANGE PENSIONS SO THEY CANNOT GET FINAL ALARY PENSIONS. THEY CANNOT BE SUSTAINED AND ARE NOT FINANCIAL VIABLE.
WHERES OUR £5,000,000 LOST IN ICE-BANK?
WHEN ARE THOSE RESPONSIBLE GOING TO BE SACKED OR HELD TO ACCOUNT?
IF THOSE WHO SPECULATED WITH OFF-SHORE FINANCIAL DEALS WOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND FORCED TO SELL THEIR HOMES TO REPAY MONEY LOST WE WOULD RECOVER MONEY NEEDED TO KEEP VULNERABLE PEOPLE SAFE.
ITS A SCANDAL AND WE NEED AN URGENT INVESTIGATION TO BRING THOSE TO BOOK.
JUDGE
TEACHERS SHOULD DO THEIR JOBS TO HELP THEIR COMMUNITIES NOT TO RETIRE IN LUXURY.
THE BLACK-HOLE IN FINANCES WILL BE EXACERBATED IN THE FUTURE AND THESE SCHEMES WILL NEED RADICAL OVER-HAUL. BAN THE NUT.
JUDGE
yog
says...
10:53am Sat 28 Aug 10
ChilternsBlue wrote:Agreed although that is the equally useless Wycombe District council rather than Bucks County Council - still run by the same useless Conservatives.
The Council could do a lot worse than cancelling the proposed £750k spending on Mr Hayes's White Elephant of a new stadium for Wanderers and Wasps. As a lifelong Wycombe fan, this is in neither the club's nor the town's interests. Let Mr Hayes meet the costs himself and save taxpayers the money.
We should have moved to a unitary authority years ago but the Conservatives blocked it to keep their gravy train running.
WycombeMan&Boy
says...
10:58am Sat 28 Aug 10
wayneo
says...
11:01am Sat 28 Aug 10
Tell all of your friends and rid us of this elephant once and for all.
wayneo
says...
11:36am Sat 28 Aug 10
WycombeMan&Boy wrote:Chapple is Buckinghamshire County Council
Great reporting yet again by the BFP, no mention of which council this article refers to... until you get to the 6th para when the leader's name is mentioned.
sidthesexist
says...
1:31pm Sat 28 Aug 10
u r what
says...
1:41pm Sat 28 Aug 10
towncryer
says...
2:11pm Sat 28 Aug 10
sidthesexist wrote:Have to agree BCC don't want to hear from Wycombe residents-- they are not going to like what they would hear !!!
So there gonna hold a series of public meetings where only limited numbers wil be able to get in, and most of these will be their fan boi's? Anyone else that tries to get in will be told v0v
We could alays pop round to Shakespeare's house --he lives in Hammersley Lane !!!
BigTommy
says...
5:14pm Sat 28 Aug 10
~
Why not make the next poll - "Do you think that these online polls are just a pointless waste of space?"
yog
says...
10:46pm Sat 28 Aug 10
BigTommy wrote:I particularly like the fact they then only report the poll results when it suits their agenda!
I notice that the BFP are still playing with their new toy - the on-line poll. ~ Why not make the next poll - "Do you think that these online polls are just a pointless waste of space?"
maharaja47
says...
3:36pm Sun 29 Aug 10
BigTommy wrote:I agree about the on-line polls.
I notice that the BFP are still playing with their new toy - the on-line poll. ~ Why not make the next poll - "Do you think that these online polls are just a pointless waste of space?"
Also, when I tried to use the related link for more information, it didn't work!
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Turnerblindeye says...
7:54am Sat 28 Aug 10