'We will all hurt over this budget' - Dudley finance chief warns

Cllr Steve Clark, the Conservative cabinet member for finance, faced questions on his group’s proposals for the coming financial year at a meeting of the authority’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on January 20.

The plans include cutting the council tax reduction for working age people from 77 percent to 40 along with increases in council rent, fees for services and reductions in services including the Welfare Rights Team.

Cllr Clark said: “We will all struggle a little bit here, a lot of the cuts are not necessarily public facing, they are happening within the workings of the council, yes there will be some people hurting, we will all hurt a little bit over this budget.”

The plan to reduce council tax reductions came under fire from Dudley’s Labour leader, Cllr Pete Lowe, who challenged Cllr Clark on the effects of his plans.

He said: “My interpretation of that budget is the most deprived, the most under threat, will be impacted disproportionately more than those who are not reliant on those services.

“For example, those in receipt of council tax reduction, those fleeing domestic abuse, those reliant on the voluntary sector.”

Cllr Clark said a consultation on the reduction had come back 60 percent accepting a reduction was necessary but admitted it will have a ‘considerable effect’ on some people.

He added: “We are looking at the voluntary services and some will be cut in this budget.”

The council’s leadership presented plans to save a whopping £46m in the coming year while still spending £366m.

The plans will face scrutiny over three sessions before being finalised and voted on in late February.

Cllr Clark was also quizzed on the future of leisure centres, town halls and libraries.

Recently his boss, council leader Cllr Patrick Harley, who was not at the meeting, said: “For the next five years we will not be doing anything with them apart from trying to find a suitable partner to run the leisure centres, we need to look at libraries and how we make more efficient use of the buildings and town halls, if we can find a partner to run them as a going concern, that works.”

In response to a question on the future of the sites from committee chair, Cllr Shaun Keasey, Cllr Clark said: “We have got to get this budget over the line, if this budget does not get over the line those will be in doubt.”

His comments came in for further examination from Labour’s finance spokesperson, Cllr Shaukat Ali.

Cllr Ali said: “The level of assurance from this that they are safe doesn’t cut the mustard.”

Cllr Clark said: “In order for all the things in the council to be safe this budget has to be endorsed.

“You are questioning whether the leisure centres stay open or not, the reality is if this budget does not go through they won’t stay open, that is a fact.”