The following statement is on the Southampton City council website, under the banner Southampton Budget.

I have deleted most of it – but the following statement will be of interest to all Southampton Providers…………

“To balance the books for next year the council has had to find more than £8 million of savings.

The council is plugging the gap by becoming leaner and meaner than ever before.

Some of savings the council is proposing include:

• Cutting around 120 jobs, some of which are already vacant.

• Reducing the cost of home care and residential care by providing a much more efficient service.

• Reducing the number of council meetings to cut costs and freeze councilors allowances reduce bureaucracy.

• Cutting the number of issues published of the council’s magazine from 10 to 6, and freezing councillors’ allowances.

When will it all be finally decided?

The budget will go before Cabinet on February 1, and those recommendations will then go to full Council on February 17 for a final decision.

Please email your comments to the Hampshire Care Association.