Plan for Change hits the road to tour the borough.

Local residents are invited to attend a series of roadshows throughout January 2013 to find out more about the Plan for Change Draft Programme of Savings consultation.

As well as presentations at the next round of Township Forum meetings, members of the local community can attend one of four weekend or evening public meetings to find out how the council plans to make £8.7 million savings.

These sessions will allow members of the local community to find out more about the savings proposals, provide comments and feedback as well as ask questions of both councillors and officers.

Meetings take place on the following dates:

• Tuesday 8 January: Whitefield Township Forum, Elms Community Centre. Meeting starts at 1pm.
• Thursday 10 January: Radcliffe Township Forum, Radcliffe Civic Suite. Meeting starts at 6pm.
• Friday 11 January: Community roadshow, Elizabethan Suite, Bury Town Hall. Meeting starts at 6pm.
• Saturday 12 January: Community roadshow, Ramsbottom Civic Hall. Meeting starts at 2pm.
• Sunday 13 January: Community roadshow, Longfield Suite, Prestwich. Meeting starts at 11am.
• Thursday 17 January, Bury West Township Forum, Bolton Road Methodist Church, Bolton Road, 7pm
• Thursday 17 January, Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor Township Forum, Christ Church, Walmersley, 7pm
• Sunday 20 January: Community roadshow, Radcliffe Civic Suite. Meeting starts at 2pm.
• Monday 4 February: Prestwich Township Forum, Longfield Suite. Meeting starts at 6:30pm.
• Thursday 7 February, Bury East Township Forum, Freedom Church. Meeting starts at 7pm.

There is no need to book in advance for any of these events.

Consultation with Bury’s young people will take place via members of youth cabinet and a special event for business representatives will also take place in early January.  Business representatives are invited to email planforchange@bury.gov.uk to find out more about the event.

Residents can find out more about the proposals at www.bury.gov.uk/planforchange and also take part in the online survey.

Councillor John Smith, Cabinet Member for Corporate Affairs, said: “We are committed to an open and transparent process. The presentations at township forum meetings and the community roadshows are a great opportunity for members of the local community to come along and have their say on our savings proposals. I would encourage as many people as possible to attend as we are keen to gather as many views as possible”.

Councillor Tony Isherwood, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resource, said: “This is a really challenging time in local government. We now know we will need to save at least £26.5million by 2015 and this means we have to make some really tough decisions. A series of government funding changes has hit our budget, from business rates to council tax benefit, not to mention paying for another council tax freeze. This, and increasing demands for services, means we have to find a further £6.4 million in 2013/14 and £2.3 million in 2014/15”.

“Bury has always been a poorly-funded council but, despite this, we have delivered excellent services. However, this means that our room for manoeuvre is limited and it is clear that the savagery of the cuts we face means that service changes and further workforce reductions cannot be avoided. We are committed to protecting as far as possible our frontline services and look for every possible efficiency saving and we are keen to hear what local residents think of the savings proposals.”

ENDS

Notes to editors: To find out more about the Plan for Change savings proposals take a look at the consultation document online at www.bury.gov.uk/planforchange

Press release issued:

For further information please contact Peter Doherty on 0161 253 6096 Alternatively please email communications@bury.gov.uk