Plymouth City Council makes plans to tackle £65 million deficit

Plymouth City Council is launching a set of large scale spending reforms to tackle a projected £65million shortfall in funding.

The funding reforms are in response to a £9.5million cut to the council’s budget despite an increased demand on key services such as social care for older people.

The council has warned that the reforms would have to be supplemented with cuts to council services.

The reforms are set to fundamentally change the way in which the council operates by working closely with partners, improve communication with customers and take a more ‘commercial approach’ to the running of services.

The council also plans to begin using a strategic centre of operations to support how the way council services will be delivered, using "co-operative principles".

Labour Council Leader Tudor Evans, said "The massive scale of the cuts is unprecedented in local government since the Second World War and will have a devastating impact on local frontline services across the country”.

He continued: "We are determined to protect the city's economy and its residents as much as possible.

"We need to continue to take proactive action to develop our economy to try to grow our way out of these huge financial challenges.

"We will be doing everything possible to avoid the devastating and large-scale service cuts seen in some other towns and cities but it will be impossible for us to avoid reductions in services."

Oliver Colvile, Conservative MP for Sutton and Devonport told The Plymouth Daily that Plymouth City Council could take advice from other authorities in tackling the defict.

He said :“It seems to me that Plymouth City Council is trying to make its budget sweat here. It may be that Plymouth looks at other local authorities and the way they deliver their services.

"I’ve offered to organise meetings between our local Council and other Council’s like Wandsworth and Hammersmith and Fulham, who have both managed to maintain services whilst keeping council tax right down, so that they can share their own advice on these important issues.

“I’d also like to see a more co-ordinated and joined-up approach to local government, with neighbouring local authorities working together on things like procurement, which has been a big headache for many years.

"It doesn’t have to be between local authorities either; other public sector organisations, such as Derriford Hospital and Plymouth University could also use this practice.”

The council has stated that they will be reviewing all service areas based upon the nature, level and cost of services provided.

The council acknowledges that the transformation programme alone cannot close the £65m gap, and says it will be using its co-operative principles to reduce costs and manage rising pressures.