Bolton: Town budget may face £5.2m cuts

Bolton town hall chiefs could be forced to slash £5.2 million from their budget next year to achieve their target council tax increase of around 3.8% - reports The Bolton News.

The figures were revealed as the Government announced councils would get an effective one per cent increase in funding, allowing them to keep council tax increases within five per cent.

The council's early budget estimates for 2008/09 have raised fears of further job losses and service cuts. It made £10.8 million worth of cuts this year.

That resulted in 202 job cuts, achieved through redeployment, early retirement and not filling vacancies.

Departmental bosses have now been given initial targets for savings next year.

The adult services, culture and community budget, slashed by £4.6 million this year, must cut another £1.3 million.

Children's services must save £790,000, although schools funding is protected.

Other savings include £793,000 from central departments, including corporate resources and legal services, £556,000 from the environment budget, and £162,000 from development and regeneration.

A 3.8% increase in council tax would mean the Bolton Council levy for an average band D home rising £48 to £1,301 per year.

Added to that are police and fire authority precepts, which this year amounted to an extra £164, while in Horwich, Blackrod and Westhoughton there is also a small precept to fund town councils.

Florence Hill, of Bolton's 5,800-member UNISON branch, said: "We are concerned for services and jobs.

"I do not know how the council can keep providing good-quality public services while cutting its budget year on year."

Steve Arnfield, the council's director of corporate resources, emphasised the initial budget estimates could change.

He said: "It's too early to talk about job cuts because we will not know until the end of November what savings options the different departments will come up with."

Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris added: "We are constantly looking at how we can make our services more cost-effective and make improvements for service users and council tax payers."

The forecasts that had been presented to the council's executive were based on an estimated 1.5% increase in the Government grant and business rates to a combined £110 million.

However, Mr Darling's announcement yesterday means the council will get around £500,000 less.

Bolton: Canal repair under threat

Improvements to the local canal network are in jeopardy because of cuts to Government funding - reports The Bolton News.

Regeneration work on the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal is described as being at risk as British Waterways prepares for a £35 million shortfall in Whitehall funding by 2011.

A report from the Parliamentary Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee voices "extreme concern" about the scaling back of public funding to British Waterways, which is responsible for 2,200 miles of rivers and canals nationwide.

John Fletcher, chairman of both the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Society and the International Waterways Association, said: "This report identifies the elements that government needs to address - one of which is the threat to waterway regeneration by funding cuts.

"Money is tight but these canals fulfil many government objectives such as educations, green routes, healthy living and jobs.

"The Manchester, Bury and Bolton Canal has always depended on third-party funding but British Waterways needs the cushion of funding which Defra is depriving it of.

"I look forward to working with Defra and British Waterways to work out a new architecture of funding to resolve current problems."

Mr Fletcher will meet with senior civil servants later this week.

British Waterways is already under pressure after shortfalls forced it to scrap £5.6 million of planned refurbishment work on stretches including the Ribble Link, which joins the Lancaster and Leeds-Liverpool canals via the River Douglas.

Waterways Minister Jonathan Shaw said: "We will now work with British Waterways closely in carefully considering the committee's recommendations, but I can say that I am committed to ensuring there is good communication and effective working relationships between Defra ministers and officials at British Waterways."

The committee called for the National Audit Office to review conflicting claims about the state of British Waterways' finances.

Bolton: Union not looking at action over cuts

UNISON members will not take industrial action over Bolton Council's planned £10.6 million in cuts - reports The Bolton News.

Natalie Mills, spokesman for Unison, said: "We are not looking at industrial action at this stage because many of the members are worried about their jobs.

Up to 400 employees have had to take a pay cut because of changes to their working terms and conditions.

Among the cuts, around £4.6 million is being slashed from the adult services and culture and community cohesion budgets, accounting for 130 lost posts and the closure of the Manor Court care home in Harwood will save £820,000 with the loss of 50 jobs.

Bolton: Hospital cuts and services protest demo

Angry demonstrators walked from the town centre to the Royal Bolton Hospital to protest at the latest proposed cuts in jobs and services, reports the Bolton News.

The procession was organised by Unison, the staff union at the hospital.

Last week regional health bosses, NHS North-West, announced plans to move initial tests in ear, nose and throat, urology, gynaecology, general surgery and orthopaedics into independently-run Clinical Assessment Treatment Centres.

Hospital chiefs predict this will result in £3.7 million being cut from the Royal Bolton’s yearly budget and the loss of up to 130 jobs.