West Midlands councils facing budget nightmare

West Midland councils have already announced drastic cuts due to the removal of government grants. Leaders have insisted that they will cope but their grants and spending power are set to plummet over the next two years.

Staffordshire County Council will shed 500 jobs by 2016 as it looks to cope with £50 million of cuts.

Walsall Council is cutting more than 400 jobs to save £65m and Sandwell Council has warned that 800 jobs are at risk as it works to save £75m.

Wolverhampton City Council wants to save £70m by 2015 and has invited 230 applications for voluntary redundancy.

Dudley Council wants to cut 800 jobs over three years but has already had 1,100 applications for voluntary redundancy as it works to save £22m this coming year alone. But 535 of those have had to be turned down as the council cannot afford to lose the posts.

Cannock Chase, with an annual budget of £14.4m, loses £1.1m in 2011/12 and £800,000 in 2012/13.

Lichfield will lose £1.2m from its £12.9m budget over two years while South Staffordshire, which has an annual budget of £12m will lose £2.5m over three years and has offered voluntary redundancy. Stafford Borough Council will lose £1.7m from its current £14.9m budget over two years.