Focus on future cash spending as cuts continue to hit city

City leaders will discuss a three-year budget which will see millions more cut from its funding.

Sunderland City Council’s cabinet will meet tomorrow to discuss proposals for further revenue savings and how it can bring in more cash to help it meet the gap in its Government grant.

Cabinet Secretary Councillor Mel Speding, said: “Austerity continues to bite and there’s still a great deal of uncertainty around local government funding, including the Government’s future plans and the impact of Brexit.

“The timing of proposed reforms to local government finance, including the move to 100 per cent retained business rates, also appears to be up in the air following the general election so we can only base our planning on the best information available at this time.

“We estimate that the combined impact of Government funding cuts and unavoidable cost pressures mean we’re going to have to deliver further on-going savings of almost £45million by 2020/21.

“However almost £26million of the savings required for 2018/19 and 2019/20 were consulted on and agreed by the council in March as part of the previous budget process, so much of the groundwork because of Government cuts has already been done.

“That means the funding gap reduces to £3.4million for the two years up to 2019/20, with further savings of £9.2million required for 2020/21. The Government has imposed cuts on us so we are looking at how we can design and minimise any impact on the delivery of front- line services.”

The cabinet meet at 2pm at Sunderland Civic Centre.