The city council’s administration has published proposals for budget cuts before the next council meeting on 13 December.
Cllr Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth’s Labour Leader said:
“The Lib Dems and now Tories have been cutting local services that we all rely on for too long. Now another £9m. How much more can we take? I am more concerned than ever.
We all agree management costs can come down, sharing services will help and there are one or two ideas for generating much needed income. However, much more must be done. We need to see vital frontline services guaranteed and services for the most vulnerable people protected.
We also need to ensure Portsmouth gets a better deal from central government. A better government grant for local services. Better help for our city to attract new business investment and better projects to create new employment opportunities. I also want to see our city invest in skills to help local people get better jobs.
The Tories are just making things harder. In the new chancellor’s first autumn statement, not £1 extra was assigned to help older people relying on the NHS and social care.
Locally there is no attempt to get Portsmouth a better deal for our city. Instead plans will cut our social care services by nearly £2m.
Whilst evidence suggests Portsmouth has some of the highest levels of poverty and health inequalities in the country, these plans cut public health services by over half a million.
I expect better than this. And the people of Portsmouth deserve better than this”.
Budget plans for discussion by councillors in December are available here
