Cabinet Considers Savings Plans

Leicestershire County Council’s ruling Cabinet has launched consultation on proposals to save £82 million over the next four years.

Today's cabinet meeting considered budget proposals that will now be considered by the council's scrutiny committees. The cabinet also agreed to see how £5 million from reserves could ease the loss of Government grant to children's services.

The key points are:

·The council is proposing to save £82 million over four years and raise an additional £2 million in income
·It also has to cope with the loss of £10 million of specific Government grants to the Children and Young People’s Service - the council is proposing to use £5 million from reserves to ease the transition for affected services
·It proposes to make £58 million of efficiency savings, by cutting back-office costs and changing the way some services are delivered
·Despite this, it will still have to make some savings from services, of around £24 million
·The council is proposing to accept Government support to enable it to freeze Council Tax next year and it proposes to freeze it again over the next few years

Council leader David Parsons said: "This is a tough budget for all services but especially difficult for children's services.

"I know that specific grants are used to fund services for the most vulnerable, such as children's centres, short breaks for disabled children and early years education for disadvantaged children.

"I therefore want officers to consider how £5 million of reserves can be used over the next two years, to ease the transition for these services that are funded by specific grant."

The council’s scrutiny committees will consider the proposals, before the full council meeting takes a final decision on February 23rd.