Agenda and minutes

“Faced with the unprecedented challenge of a £35m budget shortfall to close, the county council has taken both proactive and decisive action to ensure we can balance our books and still provide care for the rising numbers of vulnerable adults and children

in the county.

In order to do this, we have had to consider some very difficult proposals on what non-statutory services we can continue to fund, including reluctantly the school crossing patrol service.

Although this was still only a proposal, we have listened to people about how much they value patrols and after receiving the full financial picture from Government, we have decided not to progress with this option.

We are continuing to lobby Government on the critical need for a long-term solution for the funding of care, but in the meantime, with less money to go around, we are being honest about what we can still fund.

While councils can no longer do or fund everything they once did, we remain hugely ambitious for the county and are committed to empowering communities to take a stronger role in delivering their own affordable solutions wherever possible.”

Philip Atkins, Leader of the Council

“This year we have found ourselves in unchartered financial territory with a forecasted £35m shortfall in our budget for 2019/20 and a soaring bill for care due to the rising numbers of vulnerable adults and children in care.

Despite the huge pressures and challenges, through hard work, tough decision making and by acting early, we are now in a position to deliver a balanced budget – whilst maintaining one of the lowest county council taxes in the country.

Together with our MPs and local authority colleagues across the country, we successfully pressed the Government hard for some immediate extra funding for care, which will help ease the transition for some organisations affected by the savings we must still make.

However, it is important that as a nation we find a long-term solution to funding care and we will continue to lobby Government on the urgency of this matter.

We will continue to work with the voluntary sector to support communities and a revised community fund will allow members to work with residents help them develop local support for their families, friends and neighbours.”

Mike Sutherland, Cabinet Member for Finance