The ruling Liberal Democrat group at Wiltshire Council has hit back at criticism levelled at them from their Conservative opposition over a multi-million pound budget overspend.
Last Tuesday, the administration revealed it was facing a £6.5 million overspend in the first three months of the financial year, which it said had been caused by rising costs in its adult social care and children’s social care services.
The administration – which wrestled power from the Conservatives for the first time in 25 years following the local elections in May – said it would be cutting costs in other areas to make up the shortfall.
Following the announcement, Conservative group leader Richard Clewer said he was not happy with the administration’s solution to the problem.
The Liberal Democrat administration has failed to list any new mitigations or management measures to control costs,” he said.
“We are over a third of the way through the financial year and it is essential that the council puts measures in place now to bring this overspend under control.
“Words are not enough; we need to know what actions will be taken and then see them being implemented as soon as possible.”
This week the council’s cabinet member for finance, Cllr Gavin Grant, hit back at the criticism.
“This budget was set by the previous administration,” he said.
“They knew the risks when they were setting the budget, particularly in the big spending areas of adult social care and children’s services, both of which are under sustained pressure as set out in the financial report.
“We are committed to responsible financial planning and budget management, providing both good value for money and outstanding services for our residents.
“In a changing environment, it is vitally important we closely monitor finances against a very challenging backdrop of spending pressures.
“Like all local authorities, we are facing increased costs, and we must balance the books while ensuring we continue to provide high-quality services that everyone deserves.
“This budget gap must be closed by the end of the financial year and actions to close down the gap are set out in the report.
“We have put in place strict cost-control measures that include, all recruitment requests which now have to be approved by corporate directors, ‘non-essential spend’ has been stopped, and spend approval limits have been decreased, so requiring more senior officers to assess whether money need to be spent and authorise.
“We regularly review projects to ensure spending plans are achievable and funding needs are well understood.
“This helps inform future budget decisions and supports strong financial planning.
“We continue to be committed to sound financial management, good value for money and transparency.
“Overall, our strong foundations and forward-thinking approach give us confidence in our ability to deliver a balanced budget and maintain long-term financial resilience.”
The leader of the opposition will face Cllr Grant and council leader Ian Thorn when cabinet meets tomorrow (Tuesday, September 16).
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