All eyes in local government will be watching the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, next Wednesday (25th November) as he delivers his Autumn Statement and Comprehensive Spending Review.
As has been reported extensively over the last five years, jobs and services have been ‘cut to the bone’ at Isle of Wight council, but they’ll still need to make at least £10.5m of cuts in the next financial year, 2016/17.
Confused priorities
Here on the Isle of Wight, during October’s Isle of Wight full council meeting, members were presented with an update to their MD’s Budget Review paper (see below).
As reported live from the meeting, councillors seemed to be more interested arguing over the number of meetings to be held, than discussing the dire financial situation the local authority finds itself in.
A complex subject
The September budget paper and its update, published in October, are both embedded below. A quick flick through them might answer why some councillors either say nothing or others deflect with unimportant issues at these meetings.
There’s a lot to get your head around and if you don’t appreciate the complexities of reserves and balances, capital expenditure or increased costs, it can seem like a minefield.
Where the savings are expected to be made in 2016-17
