Norfolk County Council budget cuts set to be scrutinised next week

Norfolk County Council’s initial proposals to bridge a £44.7million budget gap are set to be examined next week.

A report to the authority’s scrutiny committee says the council faces a “significant challenge” to develop a budget for 2025/26, ahead of further announcements on funding from the Government in the upcoming Autumn Budget.

Throughout this year, the council has made clear that it has “no choice” but to cut funding for a number of key services in order to balance the books.

So far, £33.552million of saving proposals have been identified for the coming year:

• Adult social services - £16.52million

• Children’s services - £7million

• Infrastructure - £6.082million

• Communites and environment - £613,000

• Fire and Rescue - £65,000

• Strategy and transformation - £1.67million

• Chief executive’s directorate, £102,000

• Finance, £1.5million

The authority will also be consulting on a range of proposals for council tax, with views sought on an increase of 3% including the adult social precept, an increase of up to 5%, and an increase of more than 5%.

It has been estimated that every 1% increase in council tax would equate to approximately £5.4million of additional income.

Public consultation on the budget will be undertaken over the autumn, once the scrutiny committee has considered the report and made any recommendations.

The committee meets at 2pm next Monday (October 28).