The council has reiterated its commitment to its long-standing ‘no compulsory redundancies’ policy as it looks to make savings of £110m following the government’s slashing of its funding. Instead offers for voluntary redundancies and early retirement are on the table.
Manchester City Council faces funding cuts of £102m from central government over the next two years, it was announced by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles yesterday. This potentially represents an astonishing 21 per cent drop in government grants by 2012/13 compared to the money it received during the current financial year.
Supporters of South Manchester Law Centre are to hold a protest outside the full Manchester City Council meeting this coming Wednesday 8 December, Albert Square at 9am as part of the campaign to save the law centre and restore its funding.
Lib Dem and Labour councillors flung accusations at one another last week following news that the Collyhurst social housing project – which would have reconstructed and refurbished a total of 1,300 homes in one of the most deprived parts of the country – is to be scrapped by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
The ten local authorities making up Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) have been given new law-making powers forming Britain’s first ‘Super Council’, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
Following last week’s news that 127 support staff are to be made redundant – an “efficiency” measure according to Vice Chancellor Professor John Brooks – Manchester Metropolitan University has announced setbacks in plans over its proposed campus developments.
Manchester’s social housing waiting list is mounting as the local council struggles to halt the current increase. Official statistics show an estimated 13,000 homes are currently unoccupied in Manchester. Meanwhile, the waiting list published in June details more than 23,000 people waiting to be re-housed – an increase of 1,768 in 12 months.
