Westminster Council outlines service cuts

Westminster Council is planning to shave £1.6m off its early years budget and £900,000 from youth and play services over the next three years, as part of council-wide efficiency savings of £54m to be made by 2013.

Funding for services targeted at vulnerable families through family centres is also set to be cut by £950,000 and sports and leisure provision by £300,000.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, leader of the Westminster Labour group, warned that the cuts would make it harder for families to secure childcare places and access support. He added that cuts to the youth service, play, sports and leisure could lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour, since young people would have less to do.

Dimoldenberg described the cuts as a “double blow”, because the council will also have to deal with central government reductions in spending. “These latest cuts have nothing to do with and are in addition to the government’s cuts,” he said. “It is very bad news for children and young people.”

A spokeswoman for Westminster Council confirmed the cuts, but said the authority is investing an extra £1.2m in children’s services next year, including £600,000 on children’s social care.

Councillor Colin Barrow, leader of Westminster Council, said: “We face some difficult choices, but current levels of spending are simply unsustainable.”

The news comes after Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham last week revealed they are looking at merging their education departments to reduce duplication of services to make savings of about 20 per cent in three years.