North East Councils are facing substantial funding gaps that could cause major cut backs in the next financial year.
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00:00Councils across the North East have a collective hole in their finances amounting to £157.1 million
00:06for the coming financial year according to research published by Unison.
00:09The figures were obtained using data gathered through Freedom of Information requests.
00:13Gateshead Council has the largest predicted deficit of just under £36 million,
00:18followed by Newcastle City Council with a deficit of £23.8 million
00:21and Durham County Council with £16.8 million,
00:24shortly followed by Northumberland County Council with a deficit of around £15 million
00:28and Sunderland at £11.6 million.
00:30North and South Tyneside Councils have the lowest deficit of under £10 million.
00:34The funding gap measures the difference between each council's income
00:37and the amount needed to maintain promised service levels
00:40and Unison warned that local authorities in the North East
00:43could be forced to sell land, buildings and other capital assets as well as make cutbacks.
00:48Unison's Northern Regional Secretary, Clare Williams, has said
00:52There's an unquestionable need to turn the page on the destructive cuts of the past
00:56and invest in services and staff to help councils rebuild Britain.