Kent County launches 2012/13 budget: threat to frontline services is clear

The draft Kent County Council budget for 2012/13 has been released. With the headlines reading a zero rise in Council Tax, many millions cut from the budget and more, there will be lots of detailed reading to do over the Christmas and New Year period in the run up to the Council agreeing the budget in February.

At the launch of the budget today, Council Leader Paul Carter reportedly commented "It's difficult to see where we are cutting frontline services".

A letter from Mike Whiting, the Kent Council Cabinet Member for Education, Learning and Schools, was sent on 5th December to inform of their proposed new reorganisation. It said:

"the directorate is required to save £13.7m"

"The reduction in staffing is in the order of 25% but as part of the re-organisation there is further delegation of funding to schools, and there may be further reductions in staffing if there is not sufficient buy-back of services from schools through EduKent."

25% reduction in staffing? No impact on the quality of support provided to schools? No cutting of frontline services? Really?