So, we’ve had the Autumn Statement and the provisional Local Government Settlement from Theresa May and her Government. One message is coming across loud and clear, they may have changed their Leader but they intend to continue cutting the cash they give to local councils.

By 2020 Walsall Council will get virtually no support from the Government, and will have to rely on local council tax and business rates provide the funding for local services. This means that the Government will have washed its hands of all responsibility for supporting local services. Their grant, which used to pay for bin collections, school crossing patrols, libraries, social workers, foster parents, street cleaning road repairs and much, much more will have been removed entirely! The Conservatives have made it clear; by 2020 Walsall you are on your own!!

Going it alone should not mean that we are beaten. We should not be any less ambitious in our plans. The Borough of Walsall will continue to grow in-spite of the Conservatives. Walsall’s coalition administration between Labour and the Liberal Democrats will do all it can to make sure that we are no less ambitious. We need to invest in projects which will bring growth. That growth needs to encourage a wide range of jobs and help bring a financial return for the benefit of the borough.

On taking over from the Conservatives following the local elections in May Labour and the Liberal Democrats took the bold decision to build a four-year financial plan which will transform our services so that we can shield those most vulnerable in our society from the worst effects of continuing austerity being imposed by the Government. The council will be working with other partner agencies to transform how we provide services in the future ensuring that together we make every penny count.

We are targeting the increasingly limited resources we have where they will have the most impact for our borough and the people who live and work here. We published some proposals for next year’s budget back in early November. We do not have to decide the new budget until late February. We welcome your views, suggestions and any alternative ideas. These conversations have in the past led to new ways to save services, so please have your say.