Wales' Public Sector Cuts ‘Beginning To Bite’

[The Masked Tulip]

Fortnightly rubbish collections, cuts in bus services and staff redundancies were today on the cards for residents of one of Wales’ largest local authorities, as public sector cuts begin to bite.

The move by Swansea council, which was expected to be approved by the authority’s cabinet late last night, is the latest indication of the drastic scale of cuts being contemplated across the nation.

It came as the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) warned of as many as 4,000 council job losses at the nation’s 22 councils over the next two to three years.

WLGA chief executive Steve Thomas said: “At the moment these are not compulsory redundancies.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2010/08/03/wales-public-sector-cuts-beginning-to-bite-91466-26983497/

[Guest_James Toney_*]

starting everywhere soon,

this should help the hpc, as houses are still imo overvalued by 50-60% still

[interestrateripoff]

Got to love how the top bods would rather cut jobs than wages.

[The Masked Tulip]

starting everywhere soon,

this should help the hpc, as houses are still imo overvalued by 50-60% still

Thing is that they are talking about reducing bin collections and raising the price of tea in the Council canteen... despite admitting being millions over budget.... which can only be addressed by large job cuts... there is something on the wind...

[The Masked Tulip]

Chief Reporter Martin Shipton gives a briefing on what the local authority cuts mean for Wales

The cuts being imposed by local authorities across Wales will have an impact on all our lives.

In areas where the council is the biggest employer, there will be an especially severe consequence for the local economy.

Front-line services across the board will be hit too, with fewer rubbish collections, less buses and more to pay for items like school meals.

The political rhetoric of “efficiency savings”, which we heard so much about during the general election campaign, will increasingly seem an inadequate and euphemistic description for what is happening.

In a country like Wales, which is so dependent on the public sector for employment, there is little sign of the private sector plugging the economic gap.

Even if compulsory redundancies are kept to a minimum – and that is a big if – job opportunities for school leavers and graduates will be greatly reduced or even eliminated.

I think the Council is the biggest employer is almost every part of Wales?

[The Masked Tulip]

From what I can gather from your various posts is the following:

1. Private sector supplied services and contractors being sacked with little notice. No, I don't think I have made mention of this and am not aware of this in my area.

2. Capital projects being stopped. Again no, I am actually surprised at how the go-ahead has been given for building of new schools and hospitals in the past 2 months.

3. Services to the end user are being slashed almost as a form of punishment. Again no, certainly not as punishment and so far the only things that I have heard mention of being cut is the refuse collection.

4. True Public sector staff not being laid off but being given easier, lower grade jobs at protected salaries for as long as 10 years. I don't know what you mean by 'true public sector staff' but, yes, according to yesterday's news reports on the six figure workers in the Welsh NHS having their salaries protected for 10 years then this appears true.

Is that a true summary?

[Guest absolutezero]

I think the Council is the biggest employer is almost every part of Wales?

Wouldn't be surprised if the council was the largest employer in every town and city.

[Killer Bunny]

Got to love how the top bods would rather cut jobs than wages.

A very close friend is in Local Govt - not a top bod. She says all her colleagues would hate a salary cut.

I told her you and your colleagues are idiots.

She's still a very close friend.

[exiges]

Fortnightly rubbish collections, cuts in bus services

Welcome to Northamptonshire 2006

[interestrateripoff]

A very close friend is in Local Govt - not a top bod. She says all her colleagues would hate a salary cut.

I told her you and your colleagues are idiots.

She's still a very close friend.

So they would rather take their chance and play the redundancy lottery and then face having to do more work for the same money?

To be honest no one wants a wage cut, I've never seen unions campaign for lower wages to create a lower cost economy everyone always wants them to go up. Sadly reality doesn't work that way.

[MrFlibble]

A very close friend is in Local Govt - not a top bod. She says all her colleagues would hate a salary cut.

I told her you and your colleagues are idiots.

She's still a very close friend.

We were given an option last year along the lines of we all take a cut in wage and reduced hours or some people get laid off. We all opted for the reduced wage. Neither did we get an annual wage increase despite business picking up later in the year. Welcome to the private sector, where firms are run to make money...

It is high time the public sector woke up and took at whiff at what they are shovelling.

[crouch]

A very close friend is in Local Govt - not a top bod. She says all her colleagues would hate a salary cut.

I told her you and your colleagues are idiots.

She's still a very close friend.

Don't forget their pensions are based on their final salaries; it's not only a cut now - this would have a permanent effect on their pensions. They're not so daft as they appear, particularly if they think they will survive any cuts.

[Democorruptcy]

Don't forget their pensions are based on their final salaries; it's not only a cut now - this would have a permanent effect on their pensions. They're not so daft as they appear, particularly if they think they will survive any cuts.

Early retirement on a final salary will be the way to go for lots of them.

This will increase pension payments and as one-third of council tax now goes just to service pensions you can see what is coming.