“Once in a generation’ opportunity”?

Cheshire East Council’s leader is claiming the council’s transformation plan represents a unique, once in a generation opportunity to redefine the organisation and how the council operates.

It’s not. It’s the act of a profligate, incompetent council, desperate to find a way to stave off bankruptcy.

What they should be saying is: we admit we’ve completely screwed up; we’ve spent way more than we should have done or could afford; now council tax-payers have to pick up the bill; so you need to bale us out. Oh yes, and we’re cutting services to boot.

Sound like an opportunity to anyone else?

In a desperate effort to plug a £100m black hole in finances, plans for the overhaul of Cheshire East Council have been submitted to the government. Remember, that’s the £100m black hole created by the same people offering us this ‘once in a generation opportunity.’.

Whilst detailing their opportunity council chiefs have confessed their plans will leave the council unable to fulfil its current commitments and that some services will need to be axed.

The council is on the verge of bankruptcy – owing to the ineptitude and profligacy of the ruling group – labour and independent councillors – and needs to save £100m by 2028 to balance its books and stave off bankruptcy.

In an accountancy smoke and mirrors exercise the government permitted the council to transfer a £19 million deficit on its books into a ‘negative reserve.’ This shocking act has been misleadingly reported in some quarters as representing “exceptional financial support from the government.”

SMOKE & MIRRORS

Council leader Nick Mannion, says: “It is not just about reduced spending – it’s about making meaningful impact for those who need our services, while addressing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, whilst living within our means. This will lead to changes in some areas and the council reducing, or even stopping, some services. We simply do not have the money to do everything, everywhere any more.”

If the council leader would only come clean and admit to pouring millions into Crewe – seven times what was spent in Macclesfield – and Congleton – five times the amount – this may be more palatable for Macclesfield’s council tax paying residents.

Areas identified for savings by the council – that have already been implemented, or are looking at – include the closure of recycling tips, three-weekly black bin collections, reductions in library opening hours and a potential government initiative that will be particularly painful – the loss by single residents of their single-person council tax discounts.

Others include a hike in car parking charges, extension of charging hours to 10 pm during the week and Sundays and increasing council tax bands on property.

And all that before the government hits us with its predicted ‘painful’ Autumn budget.

Cllr Mannion said he ‘recognised’ that transformation on the scale identified represented a ‘new and difficult challenge’.

He then added: “I absolutely believe that the transformation plan represents a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine the organisation and how we operate. We must listen to and reset the expectations between the council and our residents and modernise council services, at pace.”

As ilovemacc has said earlier – they’ve screwed up, now we all have to foot the bill.

Add to the mix that the government is encouraging councils to consider some form of devolution fills us with horror – whenever changes are made we always end up paying more for less.

The problem for us now is the council sits at the same table as the government – so any hope of a challenge is highly unlikely.

We’ve said it before – we reckon we’re heading for a time when our basic council tax could merely cover council employee’s salaries and councillor’s expenses – services will need to be funded by ever-increasing local precepts, which have to eventually push council tax through the roof.

A ‘once in a generation opportunity’?

Don’t make us laugh!