Mayor sets out three year plan to balance the books

The closure of old people’s homes, asking local communities to run their libraries and the shutting of children’s centres are among the measures set out by executive mayor Ros Jones last night.

The proposed budget covers three years with the mayor arguing it will allow the council to take better decisions for the town’s long term future.

Ms Jones has identified savings worth around £92m and further work will be needed to find the remaining £17m.

Doncaster is the latest Yorkshire council to set out plans for cuts in the year ahead as local authorities across the region come to terms with ongoing reductions in funding from the Government.

The mayor said: “I have been working with officers in every part of the council to undertake a root and branch assessment of what we currently provide. The simple truth is that we cannot stay the same,.

“These proposals, as difficult as they are, will help us to continue to deliver the services we should as a council and also give us scope to empower local people and organisations to help change the way services are delivered. This way we will be more able to make the most of opportunities available to Doncaster  and reduce the impact of the cuts on our borough.

 “I do not relish some of the tough decisions that lay ahead but I hope, after careful reflection, people will see that what I am proposing is rational and thought through. I fully recognise that some of these proposals will not sit easy with people but we have to work within the financial constraints we are faced with.”

The budget also includes proposals to start paying council employees the living wage in the coming financial year.