Sheffield budget: ‘Doomsday scenario’ as monthly bin collections, closing recycling centres and more libraries being looked at

Options being looked at include monthly bin collections, closing waste recycling centres, closing more libraries or asking volunteers to take over, moving staff out of Moorfoot to cheaper offices or even making redundancies.

Cllr Bryan Lodge is the co-chair with Cllr Zahira Naz of the city council’s finance committee, which has an overall view of the budget.

Committees are currently looking at how to achieve standstill budgets for this financial year and figuring out how to cope with next year’s cuts.

Cllr Lodge, a Labour councillor representing Birley ward, said there are “no easy options” left after 12 years of funding cuts by Conservative governments.

He said: “A lot of these things are things we have never contemplated. All 84 councillors came on to do a good job for the city.”

Cllr Lodge said that council officers have worked hard to look at all services and present options to councillors on what it is possible to deliver.

The council’s strategy and resources committee, which is made up of all the committee chairs, will look at what committees are recommending.

As there is no one party in overall political control of the council, Cllr Lodge said there is likely to be a compromise reached between two of the three main parties on the council, which are Labour, the LibDems and the Greens.

It may be that some capital work is brought forward from 2024, such as repairs needed at Hillsborough Leisure Centre. If the building is closed to do the work, savings could be made on energy and running costs, said Cllr Lodge.

The waste management and street scene committee is looking at £11 million of savings from its budget, said Cllr Lodge, much of which involves contracts with Veolia and Amey.

‘Trying to do what we can’

That is why bin collection frequency and the future of recycling centres are under consideration. “You’ve got to weigh up the impact on what happens across the rest of the city,” said Cllr Lodge.

Closing recycling centres could lead to more fly tipping which would cost more to clean up.

Cllr Lodge said that budgets are based on predicted levels of inflation, energy costs and staff pay rises. Energy price rises alone will cost millions more than expected.

He said: “All the mitigations and savings and income generation – is it going to be enough?

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“It is almost like a Doomsday scenario. We’ve taken anything and everything over the past 10 years – where else do you go?”

He added: “We’re all trying to do what we can – it’s not within our DNA as councillors to disadvantage people and close services.”

The cuts are also hitting as people coping with the cost-of-living crisis look to the council for support.

In the worst scenario, the government can bring in commissioners to run a council that goes bust. Cllr Lodge said that would mean cuts made with little regard for the consequences: “We will do whatever we can between us to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“It’s the time for grown-up conversations and people to step up. No overall control means you do need discussions and conversations.”