Lancaster council looks to cut wages bill by almost £1m - but vows to try to avoid compulsory redundancies

The move forms part of the council's savings plan in the 2023/24 budget.

Introducing a new senior leadership structure to reduce management costs would save around £450k a year, while the deletion of vacant posts and 'efficiencies in back office support functions' would see around £500k a year saved.

However, council bosses have said they will mitigate compulsory redundancies where possible and consider redeployment as an alternative.

Other options will include voluntary redundancy.

Current vacant posts will not be filled, unless there’s an urgent need to do so.

Affected staff would be provided with support to help them to find new opportunities, either within or outside of the council.

Other areas where savings will be made include a comprehensive review of the council’s land and buildings will also be undertaken, minimising energy and maintenance costs, saving around £400k a year.

Plans in the pipeline include closing Lancaster and Morecambe visitor information centres to save around £250k a year, reducing opening hours and revising the operating model for the council’s museums in Lancaster, saving around £300k a year, and moving the council’s business and skills support function to a partnering model, saving around £200k a year.

Previous proposals have been revised to allow the Platform in Morecambe to remain open until April 2024, with discussions taking place with external parties who might be interested in taking on its future operation.

The council's main aim when setting the new budget was protecting frontline services, Coun Anne Whitehead, cabinet member with responsibility for finance, said.

The city council is battling against unprecedented pressures of steep increases in its operating costs, increasing demand for services, and below inflation funding from the Government.

Immediate savings of £2.4m have been agreed for 2023/24. Even with these savings, it’s estimated that by 2026/27 the budget gap (income versus planned expenditure) could exceed £5m.

The budget gives priority to protecting essential frontline services such as waste collection, street cleaning, and maintaining parks, beaches and open spaces.

It will also allow the council to continue to support communities, to ensure access to services for those most in need, and to work in partnership to deliver the best outcomes for the community.

“Setting a budget is always difficult but this year has been especially tough," Coun Whitehead said.

“In common with other public bodies we were faced with unpalatable choices. Because we have less money coming in, we have less to spend, which inevitably has meant that some services we would have wanted to maintain or expand have had to be scaled back or ended completely.

“We also see this as an opportunity to think innovatively about the ways in which services can be transformed in line with what our residents need.

“I know that some people will be disappointed at some of the choices we’ve made, but unless we cut back in some areas, we just won’t be able to afford to fund vital frontline services.”