13/10/2024
Tomorrow Hampshire's Conservative Cabinet will decide upon the 13 savings proposals upon which the Council consulted on earlier this year.
Read more below.
**HCC Savings Proposals (HWRC closures etc)**
With power comes responsibility. Sometimes that responsibility lays heavy, no more so than tomorrow when I and my fellow Hampshire County Council Cabinet members will decide on the 13 savings proposals recommended to us by our officers.
It's the role of officers to recommend courses of action, and of councillors to decide. The proposals include closure of 12 Waste and Recycling Centres, reductions in Community Transport, termination of Homelessness Support Grants, addition charging in areas such as countyside car parks and increased charges for adult social care. We'll also consider the removal of 17 School Crossing Patrols, reduction in cultural and community grants and in funding for some highways functions (but not road repairs).
No one enters politics to take these decisions.
Why are we having to consider them?
Hampshire County Council, in common with most other local authorities, faces an unprecedented financial challenges.
Let me say this very clearly though. Hampshire County Council is not โgoing bustโ.
We have a legal responsibility to provide essential services, and we cannot refuse support when itโs requested. This includes social care for older people, support for those with disabilities, the care of vulnerable children and school transport for those who qualify. These services are rightfully provided free of charge to those who need them, but they do come at a significant cost.
We face a projected recurring budget shortfall of ยฃ175million by the end of the 2025/26 financial year.
To address this we conducted the โFuture Servicesโ public consultation from January to March this year, asking people from across Hampshire for their views on proposed changes and reductions to some local services.
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks the 14,400 residents who responded. To my councillor colleagues who scrutinised these proposals and to the many dozens of people who have contacted me in the last couple of weeks as awareness of the decisions we must make has once again grown.
We have read all your views. Your feedback, has been invaluable, offering fantastic insights, ideas and challenges.
We have heard you. And we will be taking every single representation into account when we make our decisions tomorrow.
You will be able to watch proceedings should you wish, as they will be broadcast on the County Council's Youtube channel. The meeting starts at 9am, there will be two hours of representations by members of the public, organisations affected by the proposals and County Councillors first.
