Council tax bills are set to rise as swingeing cuts are made to public services, in a move which has been branded an “admission of failure” by opposition groups.
Norfolk County Council (NCC) has identified £26.5m of the £46.2m in savings it is wrestling to find as part of its 2024/25 budget, with cuts expected in key services including for children.
At the same time, council tax is set to rise by 4.99pc - 2pc of which will be set aside for adult social care.
Opposition groups have criticised the lack of detail about the changes in a public consultation and the cuts as people "paying more to get less".
The 4.99pc increase would see council tax bills rise by £79 a year to around £1,672 on a typical Band D property.
The £26.5m of cuts identified are:
- Adult social services, £14.2m
- Children’s services, £4.8m
- Community and environmental services, £5.5m
- Strategy and transformation, £0.9m
- Finance, £1.0m
In adult services some of the money would be saved by spending less on residential care places, by encouraging people to live independently; using grant funding rather than council cash; and using “digital technology” to streamline services.
NCC hopes to make savings by “reducing demand” in children’s services through earlier help and expansion of in-house fostering capacity.
More savings will have to be identified in the coming months.
NCC is also waiting to hear whether more funding will be made available from the government.
Andrew Jamieson, NCC's cabinet member for finance, encouraged the public to respond to the consultation.
He said: “We are keen to hear people’s views on our proposals to balance our budget while ensuring that vital services are protected.
“We are operating in increasingly challenging circumstances, having faced a period of reductions to funding we are now grappling with rising demand and increasing costs to deliver services.”
Steve Morphew, leader of the Labour Group said: “This is not so much a consultation, more an admission of failure and warming people up for higher council tax bills for fewer services again.
“Consultation should be about the impact of what they are proposing on services for people, but details are sparse and there is nothing beyond the briefest description.”
Mr Morphew described the consultation as the Conservatives “ticking the box” and hit out at the £20m in future cuts that will not be consulted on.
He added: “They are relying on the same government that has let them down year after year for extra money.”
The Green group’s Jamie Osborn said: “The county council's budget proposals totally fail to address the challenges that people in Norfolk face every day.
"People want real action on the cost-of-living crisis and the climate emergency, yet the Conservatives are blowing hundreds of millions of pounds on the Norwich Western Link instead.
“Meanwhile, they are overseeing yet more cuts to life-changing services like social care and provision for children with disabilities.
"We need a change in government to get the best for Norfolk now."
Brian Watkins, leader of the Liberal Democrat group said: “It is an all too familiar situation where local government is having to make significant financial decisions with only half the facts available, single financial settlements and uncertain funding are unhelpful at best.
“I am concerned about how a further £26.5m worth of savings are going to be located in addition to the £20m being consulted on, but inevitably the impact will be felt on the pockets of our residents who face paying more money for less services.”
To take part in the consultation visit norfolk.gov.uk/budget
The consultation runs until December 1, 2023.
The full county council meeting will decide the budget and council tax level on 20 February 2024
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here