Welsh public sector services under pressure

A report by the auditor general for Wales has concluded that significant pain will be felt across the Welsh public services sector in the short to medium term with the authorities facing funding cuts of £1.5 billion. In a move which is certain to put the Welsh authorities head-to-head with the unions it is believed that a move to part-time work for many employees and a cut in staff hours is being considered.

There is no doubt that public sector services in the UK will come under more and more pressure in the short to medium term with a significant imbalance between government income and government expenditure. Despite the fact that the UK authorities have promised to half the UK budget deficit within the next four years, from the current level of £178 billion, many believe this is too little too late.

The newspapers are already comparing the current UK situation with the infamous "Winter of discontent" which saw strike action across the UK and a massive impact upon public sector services. The clouds are starting to gather over the UK economy just weeks after signs that it had pulled away from the recession and was indeed moving back into a growth phase.