Tories criticise bid to reduce Telford & Wrekin Council services

Councillor Andrew Eade, opposition leader on Telford & Wrekin Council, said the authority had "let people down".

The authority's ruling Labour group unveiled plans yesterday to make cuts to front-line services, blaming Chancellor George Osborne and the Government for further cuts in the amount of cash it receives in the form of a grant from Whitehall.

Library users have called potential closures a "disaster", saying the service is a lifeline to many people.

Many people who use Madeley Library, which is based in Russell Square, say closing it would have a detrimental effect on their lives.

Anthea Frost, of Shifnal, said she does not understand why the Government wants to cut "such an important service".

The 69-year-old said: "I started using the library in Madeley about four months ago, after some of the services in Shifnal were cut. This library isn't too far from where I live, and it's a great library and the staff are brilliant here, they are very helpful.

"Since my husband died it has been like a lifeline to me and it really is such an important service to many people. I come here about every three weeks and I take home a good number of books. If this library was to close that would mean me going into Telford town centre, and I wouldn't drive in I would get the bus

– it would be a bit inconvenient."

Great grandfather Derrick Jones, of Woodside, said he has been using the library since it opened.

The 85-year-old said: "It would be a disaster if the library was to close. I come here four to five times a month.

"My wife is in a wheelchair and I like to bring her here when she is feeling well, but I would struggle if we had to go to Telford town centre. The new library is a few floors and it would be difficult with a wheelchair. And I would have to get the bus."

A lot of people also use the library to work and search for jobs, like 16-year-old Chloe Richardson, from Sutton Hill.

She said: "I come here every week and I print off CVs and search for jobs.

"I don't know what I would do if it closed as I walk here, and I don't have a printer at home so I would struggle with my job searches."

Caitlin Richards, 17, of Sutton Hill, has been using the library since she was little.

"I come here about three times a week," the youth worker said. "I don't know what I would do if it closed. My little sister loves coming with me as well and it is only around the corner."

Consultation about the possible library closures starts on Friday and runs until February. For details visit www.telford.gov.uk/budget

Libraries in Dawley, Donnington, Hadley, Madeley, Newport and Stirchley face the axe. Markets in Madeley, Hadley, Dawley, Ironbridge, Oakengates and Newport will also shut.

An urgent review of the management of the five council-run community centres has begun and youth clubs and children's centres will also be hit.

The move comes after already making £80 million worth of cuts and axing more than 1,000 jobs since 2010.

But Councillor Eade said questions had to be asked.

"The council had to cut £80 million from its budget," he said. "They managed to do that without cutting a single service.

"It begs the question – what on earth has local government been doing if it can cut that amount of money without any impact on services?

"It should not be possible to cut £80 million from the budget of anything without it having an effect. They were forced to take it out, they wouldn't have done it otherwise. There is clearly something quite wrong there.

"They have let the people of Telford & Wrekin down.

"We are putting the finishing touches to our alternative budget and we are looking at publicising it on Friday."

The council also came under attack from Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard. He said: "The council still has a huge budget, but there are few in the Labour leadership who know how to run a business let alone a multi-million pound council budget.

"Instead of blaming the government they should be saving local libraries and services by getting value for money and spending taxpayers' money far better."

People will be able to have their say on Telford & Wrekin Council's controversial budget cut plans from Friday.

The authority will open a month-long consultation after unveiling its deepest cost-cutting measures yet.

Paper copies of the consultation will be available on request – but to cut down on costs the council is urging people to fill in the form online at www.telford.gov.uk/budget and have their say.

The consultation will be split into two distinct parts.

One will ask people for their views on the cuts, while the other will seek views on how much council tax should rise by for the coming financial year.

With regard to council tax, people living in the borough will be asked to pick from one of three preferred options. The first would be for a two per cent rise, with other options to increase council tax by 3.2 per cent or 3.9 per cent.

There have been 32 key savings areas identified by the council.

Councillor Lee Carter, cabinet member for finance, said: "It's vital that as many people as possible have their say on our proposed cuts and give their views on whether we should increase council tax."

The consultation process will run until February 7.

After that there will be a policy review meeting behind closed doors to discuss the consultation responses and any other additional information on February 11, before the final strategy is agreed by cabinet on February 25. It will then be taken to full council for a final vote on March 3.