Residents of Southwark are being invited to say which services should be shielded from cuts worth £102 million, according to Southwark News. The council says the savings must be found over three years and stem from reduced government funding, growing social care demand and the cost of temporary accommodation driven by the housing crisis.

Key points

  • Savings target — £102 million over three years
  • Public involvement — an online budget calculator and events across the borough
  • Council leader — Cllr James McAsh, Green, promises an honest conversation
  • Consultation window — throughout October and November

The council launched its Budget Campaign in Westminster on Thursday 8 October, calling on the government to reverse funding cuts. Its budget calculator lets residents try to balance the books and see the consequences. Options include waste, recycling and clean streets; roads, pavements and transport; and supporting education and young people. The tool shows that if cuts to parks and open spaces reached the maximum suggested reduction of 50 per cent, that service would be redesigned around a much smaller core offer, with many facilities likely to close or receive only minimal maintenance.

Party differences

Cllr McAsh told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he could not confirm whether council tax would rise by next year, nor whether jobs would be lost. He said making savings of £102 million would be very difficult without affecting staffing, though nothing was confirmed. He said the council would also talk to trade unions.

Cllr Victor Chamberlain, Liberal Democrat deputy leader, described the budget gap as completely unenviable and said Labour had failed to stand up for Southwark during 16 years in charge. Labour councillor Stephanie Cryan said consultation was essential but must be clear and transparent. She said the online tool was not transparent because it asked residents to find £102 million from a £424 million budget, when the savings are spread over three years while the £424 million covers one year. The council has said detailed budget proposals have not yet been agreed and will be shaped by financial, legal and equality considerations as well as residents' views.

Editor's comment

What it means in practice

Southwark's services touch daily life, from bin collections and street cleaning to parks and youth provision. The consultation is a chance to influence which areas are protected, but final decisions rest with councillors and the figures involved are contested, so residents should treat the calculator as a rough guide rather than a firm plan.

  • Have your say — the consultation runs through October and November online and at events, with ballot boxes in community spaces.
  • Watch council tax — a rise of up to 4.99 per cent can be added without a referendum, and the leader has not ruled one out.
  • Expect staffing effects — the leader says job losses are hard to avoid at this scale, though nothing is confirmed.