'Only way to bridge £33m budget gap is service cuts'

WREXHAM Council's spending has been cut to the bone and the only way to address a predicted £33.6million budget gap is now reducing services.

- By ALEC DOYLE Local Democracy Reporter

That was the stark warning by Wrexham County Borough Council leader Cllr Mark Pritchard ahead of this week's Executive Board meeting where councillors will consider the next phase of the authority's Change Programme.

Over the past two years the council has cut £60m of spending and found £4.7m of savings through its Change Programme - largely through a review of some contract arrangements, changes in staffing structures, improved efficiency in internal processes and a programme of voluntary redundancy and early retirement.

The next phase will need to address the anticipated budget gaps facing the council over the next three years - £12.1m in 2026/27, £10.7m in 2027/28 and £10.8m in 2028/29.

Alongside his deputy leader Cllr David Bithell, Cllr Pritchard said that efficiencies through working practices had all been achieved and to make further savings would mean a reduction in services and potentially the size of the council.

"All the low-level fruit has gone,” said Cllr Pritchard. “The skin and the flesh have gone, the bone has gone, everything's gone.

“We've done everything we can. We can’t do any more now.

“We've already found £60m of savings - add another £30m, that’s £90m of savings we'll have had to find.