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COVERING WOKINGHAM, FINCHAMPSTEAD, WINNERSH, SHINFIELD, WOODLEY, TWYFORD & SURROUNDING
THE WOKINGHAMPAPER
www.wokingham.today
N E WS W I T H A H E A R T F O R T H E B O R O U G H
Thursday, September 29, 2016 No. 76
£19 million must be cut
n Council facing new round of austerity n 150 jobs to be axed n Review of bin collection service n Lollipop patrols could be sponsored n £6.2m investment in new technology n Your views wanted
By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokinghampaper.co.uk UP TO 150 people could lose their jobs as the borough council looks to save £19m in a new round of austerity savings. A meeting of tonight’s Executive will look to implement the spending cuts, and bring in a new programme dubbed 21st Century Council. For services, the plan will see residents using a self-service approach reducing demand and face-to-face interaction with council staff. The first step of this has been taken with the launch of a mobile phone app which enables residents to access services
and information. The borough council says the £6.2m cost of the plan will pay for itself within three years and lead to more effective customer services. However, the plan also means services will be cut, contracts will be re-negotiated with suppliers, and up to 150 job losses within the council, which it says will save £4.5m a year. The council said there will be fewer senior and middle managers and one of the directors’ roles will be axed, with the redundancies taking place over the next 18 months. In all, £2.5m has been set aside for severance packages. n Continued on page 5
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