Financial nightmare set to get worse

Oldham Council Cabinet
COUNCIL bosses cutting £31million from the borough budget say the situation is set to get worse this week.

Council cabinet members say their latest budget proposals - to save £17 million next year and more than £12 million the year after - may be worsened if Chancellor George Osborne announces further cuts in his Budget Statement tomorrow.

Councillor Abdul Jabbar, cabinet member for finance, said: “We’re hoping Mr Osborne doesn’t look to local authorities to balance his budget because we’ve done our share of cuts and we’ve borne enough pain in delivering all the cuts we already have.”

He said the council’s current plan would shave money off almost every department.

The proposal follows months of public consultations across Oldham.

The council has had to make savings of £100m since 2009.

The budget proposal is now set to go before full council next week.