County council needs to save another £54m from its budget

RESIDENTS and businesses are urged to have their say on Leicestershire County Council’s latest budget proposals.

People can find out more about the four-year plan and give feedback until January 21 at www.leicestershire.gov.uk/ budget .

The proposals include saving £54m by 2022 and set out details for £36m of these – including reviewing the council’s ‘early help’ and prevention services, reducing adult social care costs, and generating more income - and initial proposals for the remaining £18m.

Rising demand means that the council is planning to earmark an extra £17m for children’s social care, and inject another £10m into adult social care.

Deputy leader Byron Rhodes said: “By planning ahead, we’ve saved £178m since 2010 and reduced our budget shortfall. But growing service pressures and uncertainty about national funding mean that demand continues to outstrip income.

“We’re doing everything we can to lever more funding. This includes providing services to other organisations leading calls for fair funding, investing in property and doing more with partners – income generated is ploughed back into services. However, tough choices are set to continue, and we’re keen to hear people’s views on the proposals. Savings of £54m will have a significant impact on services so it’s important for people to take the time to read them through and tell us what they think.” The proposals include:

Savings of £54m, includ- ing:

Recruiting more in-house foster carers Refocussing ‘early and prevention services A new approach to road maintenance Reducing support services further, including HR, ICT and finance Reducing adult social care costs help’

Investment of £40m, mainly in children’s and adult social care, due to rising demand

Council Tax rises of 3.99 per cent, including two per cent for adult social care - and then by 1.99 per cent in 2020/21 and 2021/22. Each one per cent raises £2.6m

Generating £3.5m by selling services to other organisations and investing in property – this income reduces the impact of reduced national funding

Spending £290m on roads, schools, broadband and more, supporting new homes and boosting the local economythis is funded by one-off government grants and land and property sales

The consultation runs until January 21 and can be found at: www.leicestershire.gov.uk/ budget

The budget will be finalised at the full county council meeting on 21 February – watch it at: www.leicestershire.gov.uk/ webcast