Spending review already under way at Bradford Council (From Ilkley Gazette)

Spending review already under way at Bradford Council

10:20am Monday 24th May 2010

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Bradford Council has admitted it is “preparing for change” ahead of the new coalition Government’s plans to drastically reduce the country’s deficit.

There are some warnings that grant settlements from the Government are expected to be cut by a fifth, leading to a tightening of belts at City Hall.

The council’s chief executive, Tony Reeves, today said savings had already been identified and any reduction in its 20,000 employees was expected to be through staff turnover rather than redundancies at this stage.

He said: “We only know the generality and not the detail of the new Government’s public spending priorities at present.

“We are preparing for change, and an organisational review is under way. Savings have already been identified, with the aim of protecting frontline services, and this work will continue.

“The council is looking to manage any reductions in employees as far as possible through turnover of staff and controlling vacancies. This process of vacancy control has been under way for a number of months.”

In 2007 Bradford Council announced that it wanted to cut 400 jobs in a move to save more than £13 million. The plan to trim 408 middle-management and administration posts was part of a streamlining process to provide greater efficiency.

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