Fear for children's services (From Warrington Guardian)

Fear for children's services

2:39pm Wednesday 7th March 2007

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A SENIOR councillor has issued a warning that new buildings could be "white elephants" if not properly funded.

Former Labour leader Clr John Joyce (Burtonwood) spoke out at last Monday's full council meeting.

He told a packed Town Hall meeting that unless money was put into the revenue budget to pay for the running of the buildings - new facilities such as children's centres would be useless.

One is to be built in Lymm while work has started on another centre in Burtonwood.

Clr Joyce said: "I see no provision for the revenue costs of children's services.

"We are now constructing buildings - however we have no service costs to provide for them in the future."

Clr Peter Walker (LD - Hatton) said he was proud to produce a balanced budget - which will be implemented from April.

Finance chiefs had to make savings totalling £8.8million to balance the books - and increased council tax bills by five per cent to plug the gap.

"This budget will allow the council to approve priority schemes and consider how best to use them."

And council leader Clr Ian Marks (LD - Lymm) added that the plans would help narrow the gap between the rich and the poor in the town.

The plan was backed by Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors but opposed by Labour.

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