In Friday’s (1/10) Manchester Evening News (U.K.), Neal Keeling writes that annual payments of just over £2m made by the Salford Council to the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra “will now be reduced for a year as council makes deep cuts, including the axing of 300 jobs. Sponsorship of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra by Salford council [comes as] the town hall makes £25m worth of cuts. In 2007, the city struck a controversial deal to pay out £20m over the next eight years…. The original deal was struck in the run up to the BBC relocating five major departments from London to Salford Quays. It was believed to be a crucial part of luring the BBC to Salford.… The orchestra will receive just £1m for 2014/15; £2m for 2015/16; and £2.38m for 2016/17…. As part of the cuts, the council’s contribution to music and performing arts in schools will end, to save £137,000 next year.… A council spokesman said: ‘… We have reached an amicable agreement with the BBC to spread the payments to 2017 to help Salford combat the government’s £80m cuts to Salford in the next three years.’ ” Additional coverage at the Manchester Evening News of the financial crisis in Salford can be found here.
Posted January 14, 2014
