More than 300 full-time council posts facing the axe

Leeds City Council’s leader warned extra Government funding was “regrettably not enough to make any real difference”, as final budget plans were released to deliver savings of £63.9m in the next year.

As the council works to try and draw up a balanced budget, it says proposed savings measures include cutting its staffing levels by 323 full-time equivalent posts by the end of the 2024/25 financial year.

It adds consultations with trade unions are under way to try and avoid or minimise compulsory redundancies. The council currently has about 3,430 fewer staff than it did in 2010.

And it has enacted a freeze on recruitment, as well as on non-essential spending except where necessary for health and safety or statutory reasons.

The council is expecting to receive approximately £6.8m of extra Government funding, which will be used to help cover the additional costs of children’s social care placements.

But council leader, Councillor James Lewis, said: “While we welcome any additional support, the reality is it will regrettably not make much of a real difference given the scale of the situation we are in.

“The position remains perilous for not just us but councils across the country, with spiralling costs and a continuous challenge to make ends meet which has become almost impossible.

“The result is a budget which includes decisions we did not want to make but now have to reluctantly put forward for approval.

“They will have an impact on the services people see and receive, but we are committed to doing everything we can to keep providing for all our residents even if some things are going to have to change as the reality is we have no other choice.”

Leeds City Council’s budget report for the coming financial year 2024/25 includes measures such as new car parking charges, price increases, service and staffing reductions together with a council tax increase of 4.98% in order to deliver a balanced budget.

The budget identifies a further £51.9m worth of savings to add to £12m which had previously already been agreed for the coming financial year.

Annual budget plans will be discussed by senior councillors at the meeting of the executive board at Civic Hall next week (7 February), before then being debated and voted on at the meeting of full council on 21 February.