Northumberland County Council outlines plan to make £15.8m savings in upcoming budget
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The council’s head of finance, Jan Willis, explained that the additional cost pressures, which include rising costs for social care and new recycling responsibilities, would mean further cuts – described as “efficiencies” – would have to be found.
While £14 million in savings were already identified in last year’s budget, some additional cash needs to be found.
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Hide AdIt comes as councillors from both Labour and the Conservatives have been engaged in a fierce row over the latest settlement from central Government. The Conservative-led administration has maintained that the cash received from Westminster was “disappointing”, while the Labour opposition has argued the council has received an additional £20 million.


Speaking at a meeting of the council’s corporate services and economic growth scrutiny committee, Ms Willis explained: “There are various figures floating around. The overall increase in core spending power is just over £20 million; however, £14.6 million of that increase is assumed to come from the council tax increase – the extra money coming from Government, not council tax, is £5.6 million.
“There’s more money, but not an extra £20 million for us to go out and spend, and there are some new responsibilities coming with it. We have got an additional £20 million, but an extra £40 million of pressures.”
A report to members identified a total of £15.8 million in savings set to be made as part of the upcoming budget. A total of £3 million will be saved by reviewing individual packages of care for adults.
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Hide AdWork to create 10 additional children’s beds for looked after children will save £2.29 million by reducing expensive out of county placements. Further savings are proposed via the council’s BEST programme, which is looking to modernise ways of working.
Ms Willis continued: “We anticipated we would have to have significant efficiencies last year. Proposed savings of £14 million were approved last year so we could get ahead and put plans and actions in place.
“We have had to find some additional effectiveness of around £2 million.”
The final budget papers will go to the council’s cabinet next week and before full council at the end of the month.
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