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Leicester City Council cuts: Elderly set to lose out in bid to save millions

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Elderly people are set to lose free access to city leisure centres as well as early-morning subsidised public transport under proposed city council cuts.

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby yesterday revealed specific details of his budget over the next two years as he looks to balance the books in the face of falling Government grants.

Sir Peter said he needs to save £3 million from the council's running costs of £288 million next year (2013/14) and a further £6 million the following year. The authority is facing more large reductions up to 2017.

Sir Peter is now seeking people's views on the specifics his proposals in a consultation that runs until January 21.

Under measures outlined today, more than 100 city council staff posts will go next year, in addition to the 637 that have been scrapped in the past two years.

Among the measures outlined are plans to charge people over 60 a £1-a-time flat rate to visit leisure centres. It is estimated the new charge will affect nearly 10,000 people and make the council £40,000 a year. It is also looking to save £120,000 a year by ceasing funding for discretionary half-fare transport before 9.30am.

The council will cut £250,000 funding for 88 people living in private care homes whose day care is publicly-funded.

Leicester Age UK director Tony Donovan said: "I appreciate the difficulties the council is facing, but I am disappointed older people will have to pay more for using gyms because they are an essential factor in their wellbeing.

"I'm also concerned about cutting the public transport subsidy because it's vital for older people to be able to get into town and interact with people."

One of the more controversial cuts is likely to affect the city's children's centres which support parents.

Over the next two years, the budget for the 23 centres will be cut from nearly £6.6 million to £5.2 million.

Sir Peter said: "In some places, councils are closing children's centres, but we are committed to keeping all of ours open. However, some are more heavily used than others and some are in less deprived areas."

Previously-announced cuts to home to school transport for children travelling to faith schools further away than their nearest school and axing subsidised transport for post-16 students who live more than three miles from their school will also go ahead.

Sir Peter said: "We have embarked on large scale cuts taking about £40 million out of last year's budget. While the numbers we are talking about for the next two years are difficult to achieve, they are manageable.

"It is in the years after that we will have greater difficulties and there is a fear our finances will fall off a cliff.

"The situation is appalling for us as a council and for the people of Leicester who rely on the services we provide.

"We want to know if there are things that we have under-appreciated or even missed."

Council tax is set to rise by two per cent this year and next, while council tenants face a 4.1 per cent rise in their rent.

In the past month, Sir Peter has announced a raft of multi-million pound capital projects in the city – but stressed that cash had come from the council's capital ring-fenced for major infra-structure projects. This is separate from its revenue budget for day-to-day spending.

He said: "There is only the small amount of flexibility to take money from one to the other."

Labour city councillor Ross Willmott said: "There's a bit of a double whammy for pensioners on things like transport and leisure centres that will not actually make the council much money. It has been suggested they have been put in the budget so it looks better when they are taken out later."

All the figures the city council has produced are based on estimates on what cash they will get from the Government. That is to be announced on December 19.

A final budget decision will be made by the full council on February 20. To take part in the consultation, visit:

www.leicester.gov.uk

OTHER KEY PROPOSALS The removal of the big television screen in Humberstone Gate – saving £45,000 by 2014-15. Curve, De Montfort Hall and Phoenix will see their total budget of £2.2 million cut by £190,000 as they share functions such as marketing. Nearly £60,000 will be saved over the next two years by introducing self-service machines at the Brite Library, in Braunstone, and the Pork Pie Library, off Saffron Lane. Monitoring teams investigating noise complaints will work Thursday to Saturday only, saving £90,000 off a £426,000 budget. Parking enforcement – run by private firm Vinci – will be taken back in-house, saving £114,000. A review of the city's homelessness strategy is intended to save £770,000 and involve hostel closures. The council's £80,000 a year trying to attract advertisers to have ads on roundabouts and buildings will stop. A string of other back-office savings, mainly in staff costs, are anticipated.

Leicester City Council cuts: Elderly set to lose out in bid to save millions


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