Wolverhampton City Council outlines £17m cuts

Wolverhampton City Council is to make £17m of cuts in its 2013-2014 budget.

The council says it needs to save almost £68m over the next five years and will be reviewing youth services, street cleaning and council premises.

Council tax is being is being frozen for the forth successive year.

Roger Lawrence, leader of the Labour-led council, said: "If we could deliver the same service out of a smaller number of buildings... that is a priority."

He said: "We have already had to save £80m over the last four years and this year we once again have to cut budgets to the tune of £17m in order to balance the books."

The council's net budget for 2013-2014 is £255m.

Mr Lawrence blamed central government cuts, and said urban areas like Wolverhampton were being "unfairly targeted".

Conservative opposition leader Neville Patten said: "Savings should be made through looking at council departments themselves first, where there are a lot of vacant jobs that wages are still being claimed for. These should be got rid of before services.

"We all understand cuts have to be made, but this budget is aiming at the more vulnerable elderly and disabled groups purposefully."