Council job cuts talk 'premature'

Mark Hannaby The Politics Show Wales

Cuts to council jobs and services are not inevitable says Andrew Davies

Cuts to council jobs and services are not inevitable despite a squeeze on budgets.

That is the view of Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery, Andrew Davies.

Welsh Councils face spending cuts of hundreds of millions of pounds, but Mr Davies believes that, by changing working practices, they can meet that challenge.

But the Chief Executive of the Welsh Local Government Association has warned of an expected 2,000 job losses in Welsh local authorities in 2010.

A cut too far?

Andrew Davies said: "I don't think there's anything inevitable about service reductions or indeed cuts in jobs. I think it's far too premature to talk about that.

"I'm not saying that might not be the outcome some time down the road but, at this point in time, I think we have enough evidence to know what works."

Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery, Andrew Davies

Mr Davies believes what is needed is a radical change in public sector working practices.

He said: "If we can develop this new culture, new ways of working, focusing on the needs of the citizen or the service user and not on the needs of the provider, I'm confident we can get through this and deliver better services and give greater value for the Welsh pound."

But the Chief Executive of the Welsh Local Government Association cannot share the Minister's optimism.

Steve Thomas said: "I think we are going to see job losses. I don't think we can get away from that.

"We saw in local government something like 700 job losses last year - in Welsh local government.

"We've done a survey recently and we're told there are a further 2000 are planned for next year. I think that will accelerate as budgets worsen over the forthcoming years."

Reduction in public spending

There is a need to cut £216m from day to day Welsh public sector spending in 2010, with a reduction in monies spent on buildings and assets of a further £200m.

It is estimated that cuts of around £390m in everyday spending are likely to be required within five years.

Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has acknowledged that total public spending would be restrained between 2011 and 2014 if Labour win the next election.

Public finance expert Professor Tony Travers believes "massive constraints" on spending could mean job losses and some services being means tested or even withdrawn.

Counting the cost - will voters respond well to council cuts?

Professor Travers said: "I think the kind of radical ideas we could see will be increasingly charging for public services or new charges for some public services.

"Already think tanks have raised the issue of whether there ought to be more means testing, meaning should better off people get all the benefits like child benefit that they receive and perhaps that they shouldn't in future.

"And then of course beyond that you could stop providing whole services if it was possible to do so."

Savings achieved

Despite such concerns, Andrew Davies is encouraged by the fact that some councils have started making large savings and, it is argued, improving services by working differently.

For example, the way in which grants to alter the homes of people with disabilities are allocated in Neath Port Talbot has changed dramatically, reducing the number of steps in the process from 300 to around 20.

Mrs Sue Stockley of Rhos, near Pontardawe, has noticed the difference.

Some councils are changing the way they deliver services

When she had a shower installed under the same council's previous system, it took two and a half years.

The ramp recently installed outside her home told a different story.

Mrs Stockley said: "From the beginning to the completion of the job was 27 days I believe so, you know, that's really absolutely amazing.

"It was absolutely brilliant.

"It's made a big big difference in my life."

Listening to people's needs

The Coordinator of Renewal and Regeneration at Neath Port Talbot Council Steve Kidwell says bureaucracy is cut back by listening to people's needs, rather than trying to fit them, however inappropriately, into a prearranged regime of forms and targets.

Mr Kidwell said: "We've found that getting things right first time has reduced the cost of the average DFG - Disabled Facilities Grant - from £7,000 to £6,600.

"Now £400 doesn't sound a lot but that means £140,000 savings in a year for this authority and if you project that across... all authorities in Wales that's about £3m on an annual basis for a saving.

"This authority is looking at this process for all of its services. So there is quite an enormous potential there."

The Politics Show for Wales, with Jon Sopel and Felicity Evans on Sunday at 11:00 on BBC One.

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