Leicester City Council tax to rise, but jobs face axe
Leicester City Council is to make £19m of cuts, axe up to 270 posts and increase council tax by 8% over the next three years.
Yesterday, the council revealed its draft budget which includes proposals to reduce sports centre opening hours, cut bus routes and introduce charges for day care centres.
Libraries could be moved into leisure centres and the city will no longer take part in the Britain in Bloom competition.
In 2010/11, council tax will rise by 1.9%, with a 2.9% increase the year after and also in 2012/13. The 1.9% increase would mean the two-thirds of city residents who live in band A properties would pay £15 more each year.
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The Labour administration said it need to make the cuts because of an anticipated 2% reduction in Government grants over the next few years.
Council leader Ross Willmott said: "I think we have come up with an exceptional budget considering the financial climate."
He said there would "be a few" compulsory redundancies, but that staff would be asked to reduce their hours alongside a recruitment freeze.
This would be on top of reducing the use of agency workers and consultants by £2m.
The budget includes provision for no pay increase for staff between 2011 to 2013.
Under the proposals, around 10 bus routes subsidised by the council could be dropped.
One example given was the Leicester-Anstey Martin route, which is jointly funded by the city and county councils. It costs the county £34,000 a year to run and is already under threat.
The adult social care budget of £81m would be cut by £8m.
This means some of the 275 people who use the city's six day centres could be charged to attend and eventually the centres could close to save on costs.
Leisure centres and museums will be reviewed to see where hours could be reduced – saving the council up to £143,000 by 2013.
Libraries could relocated at nearby council-owned venues to save on costs.
Cabinet member for leisure and culture, Councillor Andy Connelly, said one example would be selling off the Aylestone library site and moving the service to the Aylestone leisure centre nearby.
The library, in Belvoir Street, would also move to the reference library, in Bishop Street.
The Belvoir Street building would then be used as an advice centre for unemployed people.
In total, these library savings, which would involve staff redundancies, would amount to £376,000 by 2013.
Leicester would also pull out of the Britain in Bloom competition because it has axed the urban regeneration category.
This would save £75,000, but Coun Connelly emphasised this would not mean floral displays would disappear.
Gary Garner, of the Unison union, said: "The idea that there are an acceptable number of job losses is flawed and serves to detract from the real issues, which are about spending priorities."
The council plans to honour a manifesto promise of free laptops for primary school children in a £500,000 pilot scheme and spend £200,000 on a refurbishment of De Montfort Hall.
The city centre's Christmas decorations will also be replaced to the tune of £70,000.
The job cuts will come from across the council, with the majority being found among administration and financial staff.
Leader of the opposition Councillor Ross Grant said Labour had dipped into its cash reserves of £6.5m and was using it to pay for the low council tax increase for one year.
He said: "It is gimmicky and you can tell it's a General Election year."
Councillor Peter Coley, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: "It's a political budget – it seems they are not making provisions for Government cuts."
The city council want to slice £19m, or 7%, from a £280m pot, removing up to 270 posts out of 7,000, excluding school staff, by 2013, with 177 of these gone over the next 12 months.
The city council's current budget is £271m and this will rise to £278m in 2010/11 and £280m in 2012/13.
Comments
by Mr Jones, Leicester
Thursday, January 14 2010, 12:52PM
“You say cutting Christmas decorations it this also going to be the same for all other Religious occasions”
by Ricki, Leicester
Wednesday, January 13 2010, 2:53PM
“????????????????”
by Brian Hall, Kingswinford, West Midlands
Wednesday, January 13 2010, 2:51PM
“As National Chair of the Library campaign, I am appalled that any council should think of cuts in expenditure on libraries when ll the evidence shows tht in times of economic uncetainty, people need beeter access to information, not worse! Paul Henderson is quite right (see above) and it should not be a case of either /or - we are in one of the richest nations on Earth - we should be able to afford all public services. It is really a matter of political will - not finances!”
by fat Tony Popadopoulos, in da city
Wednesday, January 13 2010, 2:42PM
“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.
Open and easy access to the reading environment is crucial for the education of the masses across the globe. This is something that is preached worldwide.....apart from in Leicester.”
by Ricki, Leicester
Wednesday, January 13 2010, 2:09PM
“I agree with oldboy exxept half is not enough. And sorry Emma H.”
by oldhenry, Leicestershire
Wednesday, January 13 2010, 1:50PM
“Keep the office staff and get shut of thise that di a service, typical. I bet the Committee staff have no cuts, nor thise non-job publicists. just cut that where the public need the service most.
The number of councillors ( and MPs) should be halved to start with then reduce teh meetings and then teh need for the staff to service the meeting. Then get shut of the buildings”
by Paul Henderson, Leicester
Wednesday, January 13 2010, 1:37PM
“The Council is a disgrace. Why don't they defend services and the people of Leicester instead of just passing on the cuts? Libraries in leisure centres? They should be expanding these services not cutting them back.”
by Leicester, Leicester
Wednesday, January 13 2010, 1:32PM
“The council has to make cuts. It CANNOT get away from that as goverment money has been spent on more benefits, dole etc due to the recession and it borrowed greatly. Government debt has to be reduced and one of the ways to do this is to give local authorities less money.
It is a situation ALL local authorities are in, not only LCC. The difference will be in how they decide to make these cuts.
As far as LCC is concerned it is cutting some costs by not filling vacant posts, and looking at how much is spent on consultants and temps. Doesnt seem like a bad idea to me!
If relocating libraries to different buildings means less money on rent and bills, and no reduction in books or services, I don't see either what is so bad with this?
As regards Leisure Centres, my local one is open 6.30am-10pm at night. There must be about 4-5 people using it at 10pm, if closing it 1 hr early means a reduction in staff hours and bills again, what is wrong with that??
And it says people 'could' be charged to attend day centres so obv it has not been confirmed.
To those that moan that people that havent got jobs cannot pay for higher council taxes, they get council tax subsidies!
There is less people working so more benefits, dole etc to pay. It doesn't take a genius to see that those that are working will have to pay more!”
by Phil, Leicester
Wednesday, January 13 2010, 1:23PM
“It looks like the council are looking after themselves again, jobs for the boys and all that.
The County council have wised up to the fact that local/national governement are vastly over staffed. How many of us in the private sector have been sweating on our jobs for the last 2 years?
I have sympathy for the people loosing their jobs, but its about time they all woke up and looked out of the nice cushy jobs they have and see that there is a recession on.
Far too many people are sponging the state for far too long, thats why we are here now.”
by West End Girl, Leicester
Wednesday, January 13 2010, 1:23PM
“I'm puzzled by the comments praising the County Council. How is closing schools and cutting 600 jobs a sign of success? Putting people out of work will only cost more in the long term as these individuals and their families will have to be on benefits, need more services, maybe free school meals for their children and won't be contributing council tax, leading to a drop in income for the authorities.”