Council Propose Savings & Ask You What You Think

Wrexham Council have started a consultation open to people via an online survey regarding their budget savings. We have previously reported how the council have £40,000,000 worth of savings and cuts to be made over the next five years – minimum – and how the council are being encouraged to ‘think different‘ to make that happen.

The page on the council site says “The Council has a good idea of the level of resources it will receive from the Welsh Government for the 2013/14 financial year. Consequently it is at a position to now give an indication as to the likely budget scenario for the next financial year and therefore keen to get residents views on our approach.”

Methods noted are:

• Not renewing building leases.
• Renegotiating telephone contracts.
• Not replacing staff who retire.
• Reduction in Libraries supplies and services budgets of which £25k relates to a reduction in the Book fund.
• Reducing the ‘twinning budget’.
• Reconfigure elements of Youth Service provision including number of weeks and venues.
• Stopping the ‘Connect’ magazine.

We see a fair number of ‘R’s , be it reviews , reductions , renegotiating , reducing’s and ‘reconfiguring’ – perhaps the new way of saying stuff will be cut.

Also, it is noted that £38,000 of savings could occur via ‘Novell to Microsoft migration including email system’. Many have saved money by moving from Microsoft to ‘open’ or hosted solutions so hopefully this step has already been considered and a future move and saving will not be seen.

‘Wrexview’ on our Wrexham.com Forums said “Another interesting line in each department’s saving is ” telephone contract savings” by adding them all up it comes to a staggering £129,000” and then asks “A very good deal now or a very poor one before? ” You can view and take part in the forum thread here.

The full savings proposal document can be viewed here.

To have your say on Wrexham County Borough Council’s budget approach for 2013/14 please take part in the survey by clicking this link – its open for a month.

(Pictured:  Something the Council doesn’t have as much of as they used to.)