Plans to slash another £11m from the council's budget have moved a step closer.
Rochdale council cabinet has ratified their latest round of savings after months of consultation with groups affected.
They savings will be included in next year's budget, which is set to be finalised later this month and introduced from April.
Plans to axe subsided transport for disabled adults, proposals to re-introduce charges for bulky waste collections and moves to cut £500,000 from the street services team have all been backed.
Controversial plans to axe free school transport for children who attend faith schools will go ahead despite opposition from pupils, teachers and rival councillors. However the changes will be phased in to try and lessen the impact.
Under the revised plans, no change will take place until September 2013, when pupils in years 8 and 9 will receive a £150 subsidy to help them to get to school while year 10 and 11 students will continue to receive free school transport.
But critics argue the changes will still result in the loss of free school transport to faith schools.
Coun Dale Mulgrew, one of the plan's fiercest critics, said: “It seems the council leader has ignored the concerns and opinions of scores of headteachers, volunteers governors, parents, faith leaders and community leaders.
“There is no reference to a consideration of families with siblings and to the impact this proposal will have on specific schools within the townships.
But council leader Colin Lambert said they had listened to people's concerns about the loss of funding. He said: “We have had lengthy discussions on this issue and listened and considered people's views.
"Pupils with special needs, those who live further than the legal distance they are expected to travel to school and those who cannot afford it will still receive free transport to their faith school.
"For the others, the changes will be phased in."
Other cuts that were backed include moving Middleton's Customer Service Centre to Long Street Library.
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I cannot seriously believe that this idiotic council are planning yet again to introduce charges for bulk household collections. Have they learnt nothing over the years ? If this goes ahead it will be either the 3rd or 4th time it has been tried,and everytime it has been scrapped ,because fly tipping and backyard burnings go through the roof ..It then costs the council MORE to clean up the mess,than it would do to collect it from households in the first place.
Most of the councillors are aware of the past history of this scheme ,so why vote for it again,have the turkeys voted for Christmas ?
It is easy, get rid of the totally useless and very expensive Impact partnership, get rid of the useless managers (60%) employ managers who will actually manage and deliver,! In my 20 years with RMBC (now retired) the weakest link was always the managment structure, to many will not make decisions but are quite good at empire building and giving themselves pay rises for extra responsbilities, they do not really have,
the cuts mentioned dont seem to harsh , i mean free school transport whats wrong with walking ? ok there are pensioners who use the servise ime sure they can be accomodated , refuge collection of coarse you should pay why not ? why not get rid of free school dinners to i mean they do keep saying the kids are way to fat , ime sure theres other savings to like nursery schools let the mothers teach em until junior school .ect ect ect
Who is in charge of Middleton s "Township" I ask, with the budget cuts, did that also mean not putting salt on the pavements this weekend to combat the adverse weather conditions, whoever gets paid for seeing that matters are right in the centre of town, had enough notice of the impending weather.whoever it is should be given there notice forthwith, he, her, them,?are a disgrace to the people of Middleton, and do not use the excuse that the centre is still in the hands of the contractor who is doing the new gardens, even walking down Long Street etc had not seen a bit of grit or salt, remember this at voting time folks