Hertfordshire County Council says it does have enough funds despite 'burgeoning' demand

Councillors are currently scrutinising £1.18bn budget proposals for the delivery of council services in 2025/26.

Those services include social care, children’s services, highways, waste disposal, public health and the Fire Service.

And on Tuesday (January 28) a series of virtual meetings put the plans for each council department in the spotlight.

At that meeting executive member for resources and performance Cllr Bob Deering highlighted the “burgeoning” demand for services.

And he pointed to the additional £128m earmarked in the council’s draft budget proposals for services.

In order to make the increase in funding he said the council would have to make £42m of savings – in addition to measures that include repurposing a ‘transformation reserve’.

But in answer to a question from Liberal Democrat Tim Williams that asked whether the council had enough finance to fulfil its functions, he said ‘yes’.

“We are proposing to spend another £128m this year on residents,” he said.

“But to get to that we will have to find another £42m savings and repurpose a transformation reserve and one or two other things, like that.

“It is by no means an easy task. But I think the answer to your question is ‘yes’.”

Cllr Deering pointed to the council’s ‘national reputation’ for sound financial management – and to the work that was put in “every day of the week, right through the year”.

As well as the challenge of “burgeoning” demand for children and adult services, he referenced government changes to employers’ National Insurance – that he said would cost the council £20m.

At the same meeting chief finance officer Steven Pilsworth also pointed to “record investment” going into services next year, to help meet “the extraordinary increases in demand”.

But he also later indicated that the finances of the council had “never been tighter”.

He pointed to the trimming of contingencies and the use of reserves in recent years.

And he warned that if there were to be further demand pressures – or if some of the savings plans slipped – the council would need to take “swift” in-year action to bring things back on track.

Budget proposals will continue to be discussed at a series of the council’s cabinet panel meetings – before being presented to a meeting of the full council in February for consideration.

In addition to plans for £42m of savings, the proposals also include plans to increase the county council element of the council tax by 4.99 per cent.

Of that 4.99 per cent, two per cent would be ring-fenced for adult social care.

For a resident in a Band D property it would mean an increase in council tax of around £84 a year – equivalent to £1.62 a week.

Hertfordshire County Council councillors will be asked to agree to plans for an increased deficit to support pupils with SEND, after headteachers refused a move to top slice £5.4m from the county’s schools budget.