The leader of Dudley Council said he will “do everything in his power” to set a sustainable budget as it introduces a range of measures to maintain control on finances.

A range of precautionary measures have been agreed at the authority amid growing pressures on spending.

It includes introducing a recruitment freeze, stopping any new contracts, terminating agency and interim contracts and more.

The tighter controls have been introduced to get “ahead of the curve” with council budgets. The council’s reserves are set to drop to £6m this year but forecasts show the balance is likely to run dry in the next one to two years if early precautionary measures are not introduced.

Finance bosses have also written to Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak highlighting the pressures the council is facing and asking for a favourable funding settlement later this year.

The leader said today while other authorities had declared a section 114 notice, Dudley Council was committed to setting a balanced legal budget. Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council said:

"We have to, and we will set a sustainable budget and I will do everything in my power to make sure that happens.

"These are tough measures but they mean we will be ahead of the curve with our finances and are a much better alternative to decisions being taken out of our hands by London-imposed commissioners.

"There are some tough but prudent choices ahead before we present a draft budget later this year that looks at the need to continue providing services and balances the books."

Dudley Council is historically a low-spend council and also offers some of the lowest council tax rates in the country which adds to the financial pressures on the authority. Cabinet approved the measures at a meeting this week.

A draft budget will be presented before the end of the year which residents will have the chance to comment on.