Blackpool Council cuts 40 jobs to meet reduced budget

Blackpool Council has announced 40 job losses as it works to meet a budget shortfall of around £20m.

Central government has been reducing its funding allocations since 2010, and the council has faced a funding gap of £166m over that time.

The council will meet its new constraints by increasing council tax by 4.99 per cent and with the loss of 40 positions, most of which will be achieved through voluntary redundancy, the deletion of vacant posts, and the end of temporary contracts.

The budget for 2021/2022 includes an investment of £6.6m into Children’s Social Care and a further £3.4m in Adult Services.

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: "This past year has seen the council and the people of Blackpool facing unprecedented challenges in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Throughout this time, the response by council officers has been magnificent and I have witnessed public service of the highest order. That has come at a cost, however, and the reality of the situation is that we are having to deal with a financial pressure of more than £20m just to balance our books.

"Sadly, it just isn’t possible to make cuts of this magnitude without some job losses. We have been able to keep those to a minimum this year but there are workers and their families who will have received bad news this week. We will do everything possible to support them through this difficult time."

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