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FUNDING GAP SHRINKS BUT WARDENS MAY GO

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11 February 2008

Southwark's flagship Community Wardens scheme is facing drastic cutbacks - despite the council claiming to have doubled the savings it can make as it fights to swallow recent Government funding cuts.

Speaking to the 'News' this week on condition of anonymity, a top Town Hall source revealed that the wardens scheme was likely to be at the centre of the savings that would be discussed at next week's crucial budget meeting.

According to the source, other services that will be scaled back to allow the council to balance its books include the Mayor's office and areas where the council has "discretionary" spending such as events, museums, libraries and leisure centres - as well as the planned reduction in social services capacity previously reported in the 'News'.

The administration source also refused to rule out cuts in the Aylesbury regeneration, adding that the council thinks the government should "step up to the plate" on the issue.

Despite earlier protestations that the council needed to slash £15m of services as a result of the cuts, council leader Nick Stanton this week revealed that - after an internal review - only £7m had to go.

The new point of view follows comments made by Labour councillors, who claimed this week officers had told them that the necessary savings could be made "without making major cuts to services."

Labour leader Peter John added: "Nick Stanton has been playing politics with people's jobs and services over the past month. He should be ashamed of himself!"

Cllr Stanton countered: "The Executive has worked hard to minimise the impact of this on local people by cutting waste rather than services. By working more efficiently, we plan to make more than £30million in efficiency savings over the next three years, and we will be reviewing everything from management structures to the number of biscuits at council meetings."

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