Pressure on as purse strings tighten

Since coming back after New Year, the pressure’s really on to find savings but at minimal effect on services…

Been back nearly two weeks now and, frankly, it feels like a lot longer!

It’s been tough and as each day goes by we see more budget pressures on the way and more and more need to prepare in advance for a very difficult few years.

Better business practices, new technology and cutting out waste will realise savings of £70million a year with minimal effect on services

There’s significant business experience around the Cabinet table which wasn’t there under the previous Labour Administration and it’s starting to show with new ideas and new approaches to problems.

From a personal point of view I’ve felt pressure like never before but, despite that, I wouldn’t change it for anything. The challenges are huge and the sums of money involved several billions over our term… let alone the impact on nearly a million people’s lives through services and responsibilities, some of which, are life and death.

There aren’t many days which go by where we don’t talk about major change to the way things are done. And some which involves shaking up the status quo with other public services in Staffordshire will be a really big challenge.

The words ‘be bold’ and ‘we’ve got to change cultures’ are possibly over used in County Buildings but we are in times where those public bodies that don’t act early will be on the back foot with fewer options.

We promised to minimise the burden of council tax on Staffordshire people as much as possible and we intend to stick to that pledge. We’ll shortly be announcing a minimal increase which will mean people here will pay the second lowest council tax of any County Council in the country. Quite proud of that!

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