Important Council Budget Consultation

Following a grossly unfair settlement from Government the Council has been preparing plans to find a further £80m of savings from its budget over the next two years. Despite Manchester being the fourth most deprived local authority area in the country, we received one of the five worst settlements in England in 2010. A consultation with residents and businesses on the budget proposals and priorities set out by the Council was launched on Wednesday 16 January and consultations on a number of specific proposals were launched on Wednesday 23 January. Click here for details for details. Firmed up budget proposals will be put forward at the Executive meeting on Wednesday 13 February with a definitive budget to be approved at the Council meeting on Friday 8 March. In addition to the £170m cuts which have been imposed on us since 2010 this is a further blow to the residents of Manchester. It is anticipated that the Council will have to further reduce its workforce by between 700 and 900 full-time posts to ensure it can produce a balanced budget. There is no doubt that this further £80 million in cuts, on top of the £170million we have already received, is going to impact on services. Manchester Labour remain committed to doing all we can to ensure that the most vulnerable in Manchester continue to be protected, that we deliver our essential services effectively and that we encourage economic growth and investment in the city. We will also be leading on campaigns at a national level to challenge this Government’s policies and the impact they are having on the residents of Manchester.