Council services being 'Decimated'

Cuts worth 10% of staff budgets are being introduced in Bedford Borough Council to fix the looming £10m overspend in the budget that only started a few weeks ago.

A report to Budget & Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee reveals this huge shortfall in the budget.  It also confirms the record £4.9m overspend in the previous year.  This is the biggest overspend in the history of Bedford Borough as a unitary council.

Cllr Michael Headley said, “Even though we knew things were bad, this still comes as a shocking revelation.  It was crystal clear that the Mayor’s budget agreed this year was just a fantasy, and we said so at the time. Unfortunately, it was pushed through by Labour and Conservative councillors who wouldn’t listen to the warnings.  Now the inevitable consequences are coming back to bite them.  Unfortunately, it will be local residents that will suffer as services are decimated.”

“Budgets for key frontline services were just set far too low and savings plans were clearly just wishful thinking.  All this wasn’t a surprise to anyone paying attention.  Pretending to set a balanced budget doesn’t help anyone.”

“What we now see is huge emergency cuts late in the day, rather than doing the hard work and developing a proper budget plan over the last two years.”  

“Going on a spending spree by wasting money on paying over the odds for a town centre building and refurbishing the Oasis only to then close it all comes with a price to pay.  Rather than investing in the services where it was needed the Mayor’s budget increased the funds for the council’s Communications Department and for Town Twinning.  Now we have these emergency cuts to pay for these poor decisions.”

“You can’t cut 10% off staffing budgets without it impacting vital services provided for residents, we just don’t know where that hurt will be most felt yet.  There have already been huge waits to get through on the telephone, potholes growing, school crossing patrols removed and issues with emptying dog waste bins – what will be next?”