A BLACK hole of £4.3m has opened up in the council’s budget for this year, on top of government-imposed cuts.
Many of the council’s departments are either spending more than was agreed or achieving lower income than was expected when the budget was set in February.
Unless department bosses take action, the council will be left with an overspend of £4.3m. On top of this, the government has also cut mainstream funding by £2.7m for the current financial year.
The council’s finance director, Steve Pick, promises the books will be balanced by the end of the year. But it is still not known how many jobs will be lost as the council is forced to slash spending by about £40m over the next four years.
Unions fear hundreds will go.
Full story in the Chronicle on Friday, August 13.
