Manchester City Council has launched the main consultation on its 2015-17 budget options, along with a number of individual consultations on specific elements.
Options for consultation were agreed by the council’s Executive on Wednesday 26 November.
They aim to address an estimated funding shortfall of £59m in 2015/16, potentially rising to £90 million in 2016/17.
The Council has already had to make £250m of cuts between 2011 and 2015. It is anticipated that the Council will have to lose the equivalent of around 600 full-time staff, on top of more than 3,000 job losses in the previous four years.
People and organisations who want to give their views on the options now have until Wednesday 18 February to share their opinions through the main consultation.
From Monday 1 December, detailed consultations on specific options for services provided by the Children and Families directorate will also be held, remaining open until Monday 26 January. These are on: voluntary and community sector (general and adult social care funding); mental health; youth and play; children and young people; homelessness and housing-related support; drug and alcohol services; wellbeing services; and sexual health services.
Meanwhile, a consultation on the option to end free swimming for the under-16s and over-60s will run until Wednesday 7 January.
To find out more and to take part in the consultations, visit: www.manchester.gov.uk/budget
If you don’t have access to the internet, consultation questionnaires are also available via libraries. Paper copies of the swimming consultation will be available at leisure centres.
A proposed budget will be put forward when the Council’s Executive meets on Wednesday 18 February, with the final decision taken by full council on Friday 6 March 2015.
For further information and to take part in the consultation, visit: www.manchester.gov.uk/budget