Dudley Council leader confident of avoiding cutting frontline services

Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, gave a bullish response to an audit report which raised concerns about the authority's financial planning for the coming years, insisting there were no plans to make changes to main services such as bin collections.

The council, which switched to Conservative control from Labour in May, is aiming to save £20 million this financial year due to a drop in Government funding.

Like others in the Black Country, it has been hit hard by budget cuts since 2010.

Auditors accused bosses of 'weak' financial planning following a review of the accounts and raised concerns about the delivery of 'strategic priorities' and maintaining 'statutory functions' over the next few years.

A deficit of £5.9 million is forecast for 2018/19 and another of £8 million the following year, while there was a warning from auditors Grant Thornton that the council would be lumbered with a deficit in 2020/21 that cannot be covered by general reserves, according to current estimates.

Councillor Harley insisted the council needed to boost its own income to lessen the reliance on Government funding.

He said: "It does refer to last year's account when the council was under Labour control. However, we will set a balanced budget and try to do things a bit differently instead of making salami-slicing savings like Labour did.

"We are encouraging the business community to come to Dudley to develop more houses so we can get more council tax receipts so there is less reliance on Government grants.

"We have to create our own revenue streams."

Councillor Harley ruled out changes to bin collections and added: "Councils always have to deliver statutory functions and I'm confident under our administration will be able to do that.

"(Bin collections) are not going to change under our administration. We have given a clear commitment.

Councillor Steve Clark, cabinet member for finance, said: “We have been working hard to improve our financial position and, with an underspend of £1.8million last year, we did better than expected. The auditors have recognised this and have also acknowledged what we are doing to reduce our deficits going forward.

"We recognise there’s more work to do and we remain strongly committed to improving our finances further as we prepare the draft budget for 2018/19, due to go to cabinet in October.”