All the flesh... now away at the bones

cherished council services. Every decision is heartbreaking.”

BRADFORD has seen £135million slashed from its budget since 2010. Cuts are set to bite even harder this year.

The council is having to cut cash for day care and children’s centres and is closing mobile libraries, museums and public toilets. Subsidised bus services for school children may also go.

Council leader David Green said: “Yet again the Coalition is launching a sustained attack on northern authorities, making them bear the brunt of national cuts.

“George Osborne’s announcement of £ 30billion more cuts because of his failure to reduce the national deficit means the situation will get worse.”

NOTTINGHAM has already raised the cost of school meals. Now adult social care, including home helps, face cuts.

If trends continue, the city’s government grant will fall from 2015 shortfall £462m £117m £250m £50m £151m £30m £200m £60m £214m £64.7m £248m £76.1m £144m £31m £123m £30m £135m £41.4m £61m £13m 2016/17 shortfall £97m n/a £47m n/a £58.4m n/a £36m n/a £29m £24m Jobs lost so far 6000 3400 3000 1966 2200 2000 1854 842 1550 554 £ 103million this year to just £13million in 2019/20.

Deputy council leader Graham Chapman said: “It is a bleak prospect. Many of t hose bearing the brunt of cuts are vulnerable people.

“Better off people in other areas don’t necessarily need the same level of support.”

In BRISTOL, council officials are in discussions to privatise services like park maintainance and bring in cheaper care options for the disab disabled. Mayor George Ferguson said local authorities were being used “as a punchbag” by central government. Jobs to go 15/16 1000 550 280 n/a n/a 475 100 240 558 80

Hardship

He warned: “Sooner or later we’ll have no option but to reduce or stop services.”

PORTSMOUTH may cut women’s refuges, community centres and adult care.

Council leader Donna Jones, said: “We have to take some very tough decisions because of the savings we need to find. Our government funding has been cut by a third since 2010.”

SHEFFIELD lost its famous Don Valley athletics stadium to cuts in 2013. Allotments service just isn’t what it was. The opening hours keep getting pushed back and the staff are finding it hard rd to cope.

“Our public ic services are struggling, it’st’s not fair.” DOMINIC BURNS, a 73- year- old d retired architect t from Birmingham,, said: “The people who o lost their j obs at Rover over were totally conned.ed.

“They were ere charges rose, arts funding was slashed and parking charges doubled. Councillor Ben Curran said: “By next year our grant will be down 50% since 2010.

“But some of the wealthiest areas of the country have had increases. Of 63 councils that have received increased funding, 60 were either Tory-held or they were marginals where the Tories would hope to win.”

NEWCASTLE Council has warned that if cuts continue at their current pace, it will not be able to fulfil its legal obligations to provide services by 2018.

Council leader Nick Forbes said: “The Government’s cuts have spelled disaster for the city council and its residents.

“The scale and pace of the cuts make them almost impossible to deal with.

“No sooner do we cut a service than another round of cuts are forced on us in the name of austerity. Families are seriously hurting. People are struggling with rent, mortgages, bills, food and debts.

“So grants are being cut as demand for services is going up. Add to this welfare changes and we have a perfect storm of hardship.” hung out to dry and the area really suffered. “So far, these cuts haven’t come close to having that kind of impactimpa but I do worry for Bi Birmingham.

“The are area suffered with the Rover job losses and the area will suffer now with these council cut cuts. It’s quite upsetting b because it’s such a vibrant and

fun city.”c