An investigation by the BBC Shared Data Unit reveals that Walsall Council is planning to cut £28.9m (22%) of its annual net budget in the 2021/2022 financial year, the highest proportional cut of any council in the UK.
£13.55m of the savings are expected to be cut from adult social care services.
The £28.9m figure represents one-fifth of Walsall Council’s annual revenue budget.
The investigation saw the BBC Shared Data Unit analyse 171 councils across the UK revealing plans to save a total of £171bn in the financial year due to the impact of COVID-19.
Despite the cuts, Council leader Mike Bird says that the authority is in a “strong financial position with an ambitious transformative agenda”.
This includes proposed investment plans for the town centre, which include a performing arts venue, a digital skills hub and a construction skills academy.
To aid recovery, Walsall Council also announced a 4.99% council tax increase earlier this year.
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