South Wales Evening Post - 25 February 2008
Swansea councillors face tough cost-cutting decisions today with job losses, service cuts and hikes in charges all on the horizon.
They are gathering for a special meeting to discuss ways of saving money to balance the books next year.
The council's executive director Jack Straw told cabinet members last week: "The financial outlook from my perspective is not good."
The stormy forecast has been blamed on a disappointing settlement from the Assembly Government.
At this afternoon's budget meeting, councillors will examine proposals to raise extra income over the next four years through increased car parking, park and ride and Shopmobility charges.
There are also proposals to close Ty Gwaun and Ty Cwm social service homes in Cockett, but only if alternative arrangements could be made for residents.
Small cuts are also planned for the city's youth clubs.Councillors' allowances also face a freeze, while £275,000 worth of senior management costs could be slashed.
Finance bosses have also admitted that savings from the multi-million pound eGovernment Programme were not as much as had been hoped. They have reduced their £1.2 million savings forecast to just £300,000 for 2008/09, although it's partly due to a delay in finishing the project.
Other plans to trim costs include changing the popular Lord Mayor's Design Awards from an annual event to one every two years, and making savings on the Swansea Show and Swansea Bay Summer Festival.
In education, vacant posts at schools might not be filled if bosses feel they are not needed.
And transport charges for pupils aged over 16 have been proposed.
Cabinet member for finance John Newbury said the authority faced a tough predicament because of the Assembly settlement, which provides councils with the bulk of their funding.
When the settlement was low, like this year, the council had to try to raise a disproportionate amount of money, or cut services to balance the books.
Council leader Chris Holley said: "The appalling settlement from the Assembly Government has had catastrophic consequences on local services throughout Wales.
"Here in Swansea we are doing our best to maintain services."
The authority has already agreed to raise council tax by 3.5 per cent.
Plaid leader Darren Price has vowed to fight a number of the proposed rises in charges.
"In particular, we are opposed to charging post-16 students for school transport," he said.
