BROMLEY: Council unveils first wave of £41m cuts (From This Is Local London)

Bromley Council unveils first wave of £41m cuts

8:57am Thursday 13th January 2011 in Where I Live By Robert Fisk

COUNCILLORS have been accused of 'stealing the clothes off children’s backs' after a list of proposed cuts to council services in Bromley was published last night.

The proposal comes after Bromley Council learned its funding from central government will be reduced by £22m over two years.

Along with the £5m savings already required in-year this represents cumulative cash savings of £27m.

And the council estimates a further grant and funding loss amounting to at least £19m during the financial years 2013 to 2014 and 2014 to 2015.

Proposals for savings

= Stop giving grants to poor families for school uniforms and shoes – to save £100,000 in the coming financial year and £200,000 in 2012-2013.

= Have just three children and family centres across the borough rather than the 23 which were originally planned – saving £600,000 in 2011-2012 and £2.8m in 2012-13.

= Axe the school crossing patrols – saving £0 in the coming financial year and £233,000 in 2012-13.

= Close either Penge or Anerley library – saving £90,000 in 2012-2013.

= Close park toilets, reduce grants to sports clubs, allotment rents, stop park events and campaigns and reduce support to Park Friends – saving £10,000 in 2011-2012 and 53,000 in 2012-2013.

= Introduce car parking charges at countryside sites – saving £30,000 in 2011-2012 and £50,000 in 2012-2013.

= Slash the number of councillors from 60 to 40 – change cannot be brought in until election in 2014 so no savings for years 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.

Council staff representative Glenn Kelly listened as the cuts were discussed.

Speaking after the meeting he said: “They are stealing the clothes off the poorest children in the borough’s backs by ending the grant for children who cannot afford school uniform.

“On top of the service cuts there will be the jobs to go with it.

“There are more details yet to come and it is now our intention to get the staff and the people to fight back.

“We demand they use the £50m reserves to stop any cut then they should fight back and get the grants that the government has stolen.

Union is prepared to fight against the cuts

“If they do not then between the workers in the borough, the trade unions and the community we have to mount the biggest campaign that the council has ever seen.

“If Bromley councillors do not have the guts to stand up for the people of the borough then they should be forced to stand down and let people who will take their place.”

Bromley Council leader Councillor Stephen Carr says he is fighting the government to try and get more money in grants.

Cllr Carr said: “I think the government does recognise the flaws in the current system but you cannot expect it to change in one year.”

At the moment Bromley gets just £296.35 in grants per head of population which is the second lowest in London behind Richmond.

Cllr Carr added: “We have to do things on a worst case scenario basis and are always cautious on our approach.

“These are tough times but I am confident that the budget for 2011-12 will keep us on a sound financial footing.

“As a council we are known for giving value for money and have a reputation for managing our resources well.

There will be redundancies

“We have identified £4m of savings in support functions and will continue to look for further savings by examining and modifying how we do things.

“Regrettably when dealing with budget savings on this scale there will be redundancies but we will manage our vacancies to avoid compulsory redundancies where we can.

“I am also determined we will not shy away from continuing to question everything we do.

“I want to emphasise that the potential savings we have in front of us aren’t about gimmicks or trying to make a good story out of a difficult situation but about creating certainty and stability.

“Because the decisions we make over the coming months are not just about this year or the next but about our future and our children’s future.”

Send your feedback about the cuts to the council by emailing leader@bromley.gov.uk or sent to The Leader’s Office, Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, BR1 3UH.

The issues will be discussed at Executive meetings on February 2 and February 14 which are open to the public, as are the policy, development and scrutiny committees.