Cuts and efficiencies must begin at the top, says Labour leader

Councillor Colin Lambert

The Leader of the Labour Party in Rochdale has called for council cuts and efficiencies to “start at the top.”

Councillor Colin Lambert said: “When any organisation is looking to make either cuts or efficiencies, the question has to be what services are we looking to provide?

“At Rochdale Council the cuts and efficiencies so far have begun with the wrong focus and a lack of detail to investigating what services the rate payers expect and need from the council.

“It is too easy to make across the board cuts and blame these on someone else such as the government. But, if these announcements of cuts are really focusing on the efficiency of the council then we have to examine the core business of the council and the services we are providing.”

Councillor Lambert added: “If we are to provide excellent front line services and value for money to the council tax payers of our authority and to stand up to the scrutiny of how we spend their money, then we must look to cut the top level posts to the minimum and cut the non jobs which are in existence.

“We should look to share the experience and therefore the costs of senior management across authorities and protect services by sharing services.

“The next round of cuts to the budgets of Rochdale MBC should begin with trimming the excesses and maintaining the frontline services.

The Leader of the Conservative party and the Deputy Leader of Rochdale Borough Council, Councillor Ashley Dearnley agrees with Councillor Lambert, he said: “From the Chief Executive downwards we need to make as many cuts as possible without affecting front line services.”

The Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Councillor Dale Mulgrew said: “Clearly Rochdale Council is in a similar position to many other local authorities across the country in that it has to undergo public expenditure reductions in order to balance the books.

“The objective throughout this process is to be as fair as possible, and to protect the frontline as a priority. Councillor Lambert has a role in this process, as he is a member of the all party efficiency committee which advises on any savings proposals.

“During the first wave of suggested savings, the Council has focussed on removing duplication and replication as a key principle. We are aware of the heaviness at the top of the tree, and so there has been a senior management review. This will result in a reduction of senior service director posts, and will see also a decrease in one executive post. 

“Finally, we have started to formally work with Oldham Council to establish any common areas that we can help each other with. This has brought a recent announcement that Oldham's call centre operations will be transferred to Rochdale Council's call centre, as part of a merger to create a shared financial saving."

The Leader of the Council and the Liberal Democrats, Councillor Irene Davidson was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.