Sedgemoor District Council claimed on Thursday (June 10th) that it will not be forced to make unplanned cuts to services in our area this year despite a reduction in the council’s central government funding.
Council Leader Cllr Duncan McGinty, pictured, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We are pleased to say that we have fared reasonably well in the recent central government funding announcements and have ensured that we have funds in place to compensate for any cuts.”
“Sadly, this in no way reduces the pressures on next year’s budget and we are still anticipating very significant reductions to next year’s government grant funding.”
He added: “The council is currently anticipating a funding gap in the region of £2.1 million for 2011/2012 and we have no reason to believe this will change for the better.”
The situation at Somerset County Council is more severe, with the council admitting this week that it is having to make around £4.5m cuts this financial year.
The impact will come over the next nine months with around £3m cuts in funding and grants used to support projects in a wide range of areas, from childrens social care through to road safety. It will also see £1.5m of cuts in capital budgets in transport.
Somerset County Council’s Leader Cllr Ken Maddock said in a statement on Thursday: “These are tough times and it is a challenge to make these savings in just a few months. However the country is in a mess and we all have to play our part – there is no doubt that far bigger and more painful cuts will be announced before long. Today’s announcement is for grants to be cut in very specific areas and we will look closely at what they will mean for people in Somerset. We will do everything we can to minimise their impact.”
