Questioning the Council's drive to cut costs

Opposition members of Leicestershire County Council have expressed doubts that the councils ambitious cost-cutting review will generate meaningful savings before the next budget is set in February.

The council, led by Reform UK, revealed it had hired consultancy Newton for 1.4m to identify potential savings. The initiative, which began in November, aims to address an anticipated 90m budget shortfall by 2029.

Harrison Fowler, the councils lead for resources, stated during a County Hall meeting that he was "pleased" with the preliminary findings of the efficiency review.

However, Liberal Democrat councillor Simon Galton questioned the reviews immediate impact on the 2026-27 budget. He suggested that most obvious savings had already been implemented in previous years, making it challenging to produce significant results in time. "Achieving anything substantial by the February budget is a real challenge," he said, emphasizing that meaningful changes often require years to implement through service transformation.

Conservative opposition leader Deborah Taylor acknowledged the review but cautioned that it was unlikely to deliver major savings before next years budget. She highlighted concerns about the persistent budget gap facing the council.

Fowler admitted the council faces time constraints but remained optimistic. "We are at an early stage with Newton, but we are confident that savings can be identified. It wont be an overnight solution, yet early savings are still possible," he said.

Reform UK plans to release its initial budget proposals soon. The party does not hold an overall majority on the council, and some opposition councillors have indicated they would resist approving a budget that relies heavily on service cuts. Fowler stressed that the efficiency review aims to achieve savings without compromising care for residents.

Author: Logan Reeves