Pools at risk as Wolverhampton Council announces £32.5 million worth of cuts

The authority said it would be looking to 'rationalise' its leisure centre provision as it seeks to slash its funding deficit.

Council leader Councillor Stephen Simkins said it was too early to say whether any council-run leisure centres were at risk, but did not rule out the possibility.

The council tax will rise by 4.99 per cent next year, adding an extra £100 to the average band 'D' property, taking the total cost to £2,104.28 before the precept for the police and fire service is added to the bill.

Councillor Simkins said he hoped compulsory redundancies would be avoided, but some job losses were inevitable.

He said the rising costs of adult and children's social care, coupled with recent pressures from inflation, had put the council's finances under intense pressure.

But he said there was no risk of Wolverhampton following the path of Birmingham Council in having to declare itself insolvent in the foreseeable future.

Council chief executive Tim Johnson has compiled an outline programme of proposed savings to be delivered over the period from April next year to April 2027. His report will be presented to a meeting of the cabinet on Wednesday next week (November 13).

Public toilets at the One Stop information office in Victoria Street are set to close, along with the Shopmobility service which provides equipment for disabled people to navigate the city centre.

A review will be carried out of frontline services such as grounds and highway maintenance, refuse collection and street cleaning.

More than £2.67 million worth of savings have been identified in adult social care, although Councillor Simkins said the council would do all it could to ensure there was not discernible difference to the quality of services provided.

It is proposed that from September this year, children over the age of 16 with special educational needs will have to pay for their travel costs.

The 'rationalisation' of leisure centres will save the council £640,000, and a cut to funding for the city's youth zone will save £98,000. 

A review of the council's customer service, registrar and archive services will save the council more than £3.1 million, although Councillor Simkins said there was no threat to the archive centre at Molineux House.

Mr Johnson's report showed that approximately 70 per cent of the council's £332 million annual budget was now spent on adult and children's social care, and waste services.

It also said that based on current projections, the council was on course to run at a deficit of £27.1 million in 2025-26, rising to £32.6 million in 2026/27. This could be covered by the council's reserves.

Mr Johnson said the package of savings proposed would see the deficit reduced to £11.2 million in 2025/26, and £8 million in 2026/27. But he also warned that there was still significant risk that circumstances could change over the next two-and-a-half years, and further work would be needed to ensure that the council could deliver a balanced budget.

"There continues to be considerable amount of risk with regard to the council's finances, particularly in relation to increased costs and demand, and uncertainty regarding future funding streams for local authorities over the medium term," he warned.

Councillor Simkins said councils of all political persuasions were struggling to balance the books.

"It's been a difficult time for all councils, irrespective of which what political party they are affiliated to," he said.

"The double whammy is the increase in costs, especially of statutory services, particularly adult social care, children's services, looked-after children, homeless services, people in temporary accommodation. The problem is that this is an unregulated market, and we have to use private companies, they know we haven't got the capacity so we have to tap into that."

The council also plans to end its £272,000-a-year subsidy to cover the cost of running the city's wholesale market. The council had previously planned to build a new £6 million market to replace the existing building in Hickman Avenue. But the scheme will no longer go ahead, and the existing site will be used for the relocation of the council's fleet department. 

Cabinet member for resources, Councillor Louise Miles, said traders had been offered a number of sites in the city for them to build a new market.

The £150 vouchers given as long-service awards to staff members are also set to be dropped.

Councillor Simkins said all the proposals outlined would be subject to a full public consultation before they went ahead.

Areas identified for possible savings include:

Leisure centres

At the moment the council runs three leisure centres under the WV Active brand, in the city centre, Aldersley Leisure Village, and the Bert Williams centre in Bilston. The council said it planned to 'rationalise' these, and refused to rule out possible closures.

Mr Johnson's report said: "Leisure centres, especially swimming pools, are some of our most expensive buildings to run and maintain.

"Through use, they are also subject to accelerated ageing, which increases year on year. We will review the current provision, in particular reviewing buildings no longer fit for purpose. Full details will be brought forward before any decisions are made."

Care for the elderly

The authority plans to save £679,000 from is residential and nursing care budget, potentially working with neighbouring councils to secure better value for money

A review will be carried out of the council's own provision of adult social care, including the Telecare service, with a view to saving £2.67 million, likely to be through greater use of private contractors.

Mr Johnson said: "We will undertake a review to establish if they remain essential day-to-day services that we should deliver ourselves, especially as there is a well-established care-market place. If others can deliver better value for money we will contract out the services."

Closure of the Shopmobility service

The service, which operates from a shop unit in Temple Street, provides equipment such as motorised wheelchairs available for hire to shoppers in the city. 

Mr Johnson's report said it had an average of 13 customers a week, and failed to cover its operating costs.

"Equipment is old and in need of replacement, there are currently 28 motorised wheelchairs that cost circa £8,000 each," he said.

"Closure of the unit frees up commercial space in the market area which could be leased out to additional traders, for other users, which could generate £10,000 per annum."

It is forecast the closure will save the council £29,000. 

General services

The council will aim to cut almost £7 million from its resident services budget, which includes waste collections, recycling, street cleaning, and grounds and highway maintenance.

Councillor Simkins said there were no plans to reduce the frequency of waste collection services.

Walsall Council recently announced it would be cutting the number of its 'lollipop' patrols at schools. Councillor Simkins said that, like Walsall, it was finding it difficult to recruit people to do this work, but did not plan any major cuts to the service.

"In order to achieve the amount of savings indicated, there will be an inevitable amount of need to reduce service levels, which may include reducing the head count, increasing charges and reducing delivery of essential day-to-day services," Mr Johnson warned.