VIDEO: WARRINGTON Borough Council Chief Executive Prof Steven Broomhead has confirmed there will be some changes to council services to tackle the ongoing financial pressures.
But he says there is nothing for people to be too “alarmed or worried” about as the council continues to look at levels and frequency of services.
Prof. Broomhead was speaking during part one of his exclusive annual Christmas interview with Warrington Worldwide, which he congratulated on going from strength to strength. (see part 2).
During Part One Prof. Broomhead said every council was facing financial pressures like Warrington and confirmed there would be some changes to services, as first revealed by Council Leader Cllr Hans Mundry during an earlier interview.
Prof Broomhead said the council had to save money and be careful with resources with a projected overspend of £18 million.
“We are under enormous financial pressures but every council is going through the same. We have to make some tough and difficult decisions.”
Prof Boormhead also talked about devolution, describing it as an “interesting opportunity.”
He said Warrington had been working well with the two other councils in Cheshire and with civil servants on the “direction of travel.”
While this would involve getting more powers locally he was unsure whether this would follow the route of an elected Mayor.
Prof Broomheda also talked about the General Election results, which now meant Warrington was working with three elected MPs and the Local elections, which he says has resulted around 20, mainly younger new faces on the council.
He says that for the first time in many years, he believes the council is more demographically representative of the town.
Part two fo the interview, which will be published later this week, includes the latest update on Warrington’s Own Buses, the Western Link and Prof. Broomhead’s Christmas message.
@warringtonworldwide Part 1: Annual catch up with #Warrington Borough Council Chief Executive Stephen Broomhead discussing possible cuts to services, #devolution and the local and national #elections Part 2 to follow on #warringtonownbuses #westernlink and #Christmas ♬ original sound – warringtonworldwide
2 Comments
He lost credibility when he said WBC was in the same position as many other councils. The debt they have racked up is far in excess of virtually every other council and we’ve not heard an explanation of the supposed reduction they claim to have achieved.
Agreed. WBC’s misguided actions, particularly those of the previous administration, made a bad situation worse.