Elderly services and play groups warned over cuts by Camden Council

Published: 28 October, 2010
by RICHARD OSLEY

PLAY centres and services for the elderly have been put on notice to expect cuts to their funding as finance chiefs struggle to balance the Town Hall books.

The warning has gone out amid fears that council services will be reduced to a statutory minimum. 

Meanwhile, Camden Council has also warned that “much-loved” buildings could be sacrificed to save money. 

Council homes are off limits in terms of sales but there are still £1billion worth of properties such as shops, tenants halls and community centres which will be placed under review.

The full plans of how officials will deal with demands to make the biggest cuts in recent memory are still not clear. The council is  anxiously awaiting more information from Whitehall about grants.

It will not be until the end of November when playgroups and care services will get a firm answer over budgets. The word from councillors and officials this week was that most should expect cutbacks.

The bald figures show that Camden must reduce its spending by around 26 per cent – a figure that cannot be covered by reserve savings or council tax.

Labour council leader Councillor Nash Ali said: “I am very concerned by the level of cuts faced by local government. 

“These are some of the biggest cuts that the council has ever experienced and we have to be honest about their impact. 

“As we predicted, the council is likely to have to make savings of between £80 to £100m over the next four years.”

A joint working arrangement with neighbours in Islington is still in the offing in a bid to save cash.

But finance chief Councillor Theo Blackwell said: “In the past Camden has operated a sort of council-plus service in which we’ve done a bit more for people. That looks like we have to strip it back.”

He added: “There are some much-loved but dilapidated buildings in the council’s ownership that we may have to make tough decisions about. Camden has to use the assets it has got to the best advantage of its residents. The positive thing is that we have been planning for this kind of figure in terms of cuts but we still have to make hard choices. How can you say what is more important: a service for the youth or the one for the elderly? 

“But this is where we are being pushed towards. We will get to somewhere where the government gives councils money to do the bare minimum and that’s it.”

How it looks...

WHAT WE KNOW

• Town Hall spending must be reduced by 26 per cent.
• A waste deal with 7 other boroughs to improve recycling will be spiked.
• New council home lets will be for a temporary period rather than a “home for life”.

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW

• Whether calls for new council rents to match 80 per cent of the market rent will be enforced or discretionary.
• How much money will be saved from shared services with Islington.
• Which named individual services in Camden will be axed or cut back.