Council Begins Public Consultation On Budget Cuts

Cllr Abdul Jabbar

Oldham Council is asking for the views of local residents, as it works out ways to save a further £24m from its budget for the next financial year.

The cuts are on top of the £40m of savings which were forced on the council for the current financial year by the government.

The council has already indicated that as many as 400 more jobs could be at risk. Having started talking to staff and unions about that, it’s now keen to hear from the borough’s residents.

In a statement announcing the consultation, Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Abdul Jabbar said: “We want to be able to make our final decisions informed by clear views from our residents about what you think our spending priorities are and where you think spending could be reduced.”

He added: “We’d also like to hear any suggestions you may have where you think there is unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy.”

You can read that statement in full at the council website here. Ideas, suggestions and comments can be submitted to the council via a page on the website here.

Last week’s Saddleworth News interview with council leader Jim McMahon, which touches on how he’d like the council to change the way it delivers services, can be read here and here.

Author: Jude Gidney - Editor

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