Warwickshire County Council reveals £92m budget shortfall

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Warwickshire County Council has revealed it is facing cuts of £92m over the next four years.

The local authority said it was due to a drop in government grants, inflation and an aging population.

It has already cut 1,800 jobs as part of £70m savings over the last three years.

Izzy Seccombe, leader of the Conservative-led authority, said it was not clear how the latest savings targets would be met.

She said a review would consider every aspect of the council and there would be "consequences which will require careful management".

'No easy options'

An increase in birth rates and the number of vulnerable people in the county has also contributed to rising costs in recent years, the leader said.

In an address to the council, Ms Seccombe said the organisation was already "lean" and there were no longer any "easy options" to find savings.

"It is also evident that top slicing is not sustainable and we need to invest more in areas of high priority and make tough choices on our low priorities whilst fulfilling our statutory duties," she said.

Ms Seccombe added that the authority would have to "consider what we can afford to let go".

The Department for Communities and Local Government said necessary funding cuts were being shared by all local authorities.

Warwickshire County Council said it would be consulting local people ahead of its formal budget statement in February.

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Warwickshire County Council to cut 600 jobs over four years

Up to 627 jobs could be cut by Warwickshire County Council over the next four years in a bid to tackle its £92m shortfall.

The local authority said the cuts were due to a drop in government grants, inflation and an ageing population.

It has already cut 1,800 jobs as part of £70m of savings over the past three years.

Council leader Izzi Seccombe said: "We can't keep taking a bit of each service and continue those successfully."

She said the Conservative-led council would need to look at what services were "valued most".

'Horrendous time'

"We have identified there is still a level we can provisionally take out without hitting frontline staff too much but that will only deliver some of the savings," said Ms Seccombe.

"We've frozen salaries for three years and that's been tough for our staff but we have restructured and we are lean - we will always look to do more."

She added the authority's heads of service had been reduced from 26 to 17 and the number of directors had dropped from six to four in recent years.

The council is to consult local people ahead of its formal budget statement in February.

Nick Haynes, Unison Warwickshire branch secretary, said: "The joint trade unions will be meeting with the county council on Monday.

"After that we will assess the potential impact on our members and begin the consultation process."

Labour councillor June Tandy said the amount the council faces cutting came as a surprise.

"The last three years has been a horrendous time and the extra £92m over fours years says we are going to be losing more jobs and services," she said.

"We cannot see how we can continue without it constantly hitting frontline services."