My only concern is that we preserve frontline services to people in need while ensuring that other vital services such as economic development, libraries and sports facilities also get their share. This means hacking at the lazy tendency to hire consultants, external expertise (e.g. in the legal dept) and temporary or agency staff to fill posts at exhorbitant rates. We also need to ask the workforce where savings can be made – they know more than anyone where the waste is.

Tomorrow Bridgend’s Labour cabinet will receive the budget strategy report for the next 3 years. The cuts in the first year are £7.4 million and this is with a nearly 5 % increase in council tax. In total the cuts in the next 3 years equal £20 million. Although the size of the cuts after next year will obviously depend on who runs the UK government and the Assembly’s reaction to their budget allocation.

Unlike in the 1980s local government faces some really difficult decisions. The mistakes of local government reorganisation in the 1990s are now coming home to roost. Too many of the authorities are too small to have any room for manouevre. Too many have also failed to prepare for what is coming and have often not taken any difficult decisions since 2004 because of good settlements and the misuse in some cases of inherited balances.

To make matters worse the days of the domination by one party has gone. One party domination can be criticised but it did mean that after the blood bath in the group it was easy to get decisions through the council. In a Wales where in so many authorities there is no overall control who is going to vote for cuts? Throw in the failure to deal with equal pay and job evaluation, more money for pensions and increased pressures on social services and we have the makings of a perfect political and economic storm.

It is also clear that the cooperation agenda a la Beecham is running into difficulty. The shared services project in South East Wales which should involve 10 authorities is now down to just 5. Even if it is a success no one expects any real savings until the seventh year of operation.Oh I also forgot about the changes in accountancy rules regarding holiday pay which could add another 3% to council tax.

Owain is right when he argues that whoever succeeds Rhodri will have to start think outside the box. The days of the free this and that are gone forever I’m afraid. It will also be interesting to see how the electorate ( many of whom have played no part in Welsh politics since the establishment of the Assembly) react to all of this.