Council staff thanked for saving £2m

TOWN Hall staff at Warrington are to receive a letter of thanks from council chiefs – for the “tremendous achievement” of saving council tax payers nearly £2 million.
Members of the borough council’s executive board are jubilant after seeing a forecast £1.6 million revenue overspend turned into a surplus of £290,000.
They plan to use the £290,000 windfall to offset expected increases in electricity and gas contract prices in the coming year – and council leader Ian Marks and deputy leader Keith Bland are to write to all members of staff thanking them for their contribution to the achievement.
Coun Marks (pictured) said: “This is a tremendous achievement by our officers. A letter of thanks will be sent to all our staff in all directorates.
“This has been achieved despite tremendous pressures from outside, such as us not receiving enough money from the Government.”
All council directorates reported underspends with the exception of community services and corporate services – and even they spent less than expected.
Community services had a £62,000 overspend compared with an anticipated £725,000 and corporate services had a small overspend of £14,000, compared with an expected £109,000.
Coun Marks said one underspend – on highway maintenance – was “a bit of a disappointment.”
But the council would be able to make this up later.
John Hayes, strategic director of corporation services, described the situation as “a significant positive improvement” in the revenue position in the three months since December.
Coun Fiona Bruce, executive member for finance, pointed out there had been £7 million of savings built into the budget in the first place.
“This is a value for money council” she said.