Trafford Council staff at risk in proposed £24m cuts

Council leader Sean Anstee said some libraries were under threat due to necessary savings

Almost 200 staff could lose their jobs at Trafford Council as part of budget proposals to save £24m.

The plans to reshape the Conservative-led council by 2016 include shutting seven of its eight youth centres and four of its six children's centres.

The council also plans to lose a third of school crossing patrols and stop paying for Christmas decorations.

Labour councillor Tom Ross said the message from the plans was "don't be young in Trafford."

A council spokesman said total savings of £24.3m were needed due to a reduction in central government funding, inflation, increased waste disposal charges and "some under-achievement in savings targets in 2014/15 being rolled over to 2015/16".

The authority closed 10 children's centres as part of an effort to save £34m between 2013 and 2015.

Under the latest proposals, youth centres in Partington, Davyhulme, Lostock, Sale West, Broomwood, Old Trafford and Gorse Hill and children's centres in Urmston, Altrincham, Sale and Old Trafford would close.

The plans, which have been opened to public consultation, have identified 199 council staff at risk of redundancy - 107 from front line services, 68 from back office roles and 24 management positions.

The proposals would also mean up to 37 of the borough's 97 school crossing patrols are cut and allotment fees are raised by 50p a week.

Proposed Trafford Council cuts

• 199 staff cut from front line, back office and management roles

• Youth centres in Partington, Davyhulme, Lostock, Sale West, Broomwood, Old Trafford and Gorse Hill and children's centres in Urmston, Altrincham, Sale and Old Trafford to close

• 30 to 37 school crossing patrols cut

• Parking fees increased to 20p, 60p and £1 for stays of one, two and three hours respectively

• Allotment fees raised £1.50 to £2.00 a week

• Funding for illuminated Christmas decorations cut

Source: Trafford Council

Mr Anstee said some of the authority's libraries could also close as a £700,000 saving needs to be made in that area, though he was open to ideas including voluntary groups running them in the future.

"Clearly, if nothing is forthcoming, then we need to make that saving somehow. How we do that is what we're going to try and find out over the coming weeks."

Labour councillor Tom Ross said while he accepted the savings had to be made, he believed they were being made in the wrong areas.

"I think there'll be an impact on life chances. The message I'm getting here is don't be young in Trafford.

"From birth to teens, services that young people used to access [will be] disappearing within the next year. I think that's horrendous."

The council said final decisions would be made over the proposals in early 2015 after "feedback from the various consultations has been evaluated".