Hertfordshire council calls for extra funding ahead of budget announcement
The council's leader is highlighting pressure on social care and special needs services amid £46 million in cuts
Hertfordshire County Council has urged the government for increased financial support ahead of the budget announcement next week, emphasising the strain on social care and special educational needs services. The council, which has already implemented £46 million in cuts this year, warns that further budget reductions may impact critical local services if additional funding is not provided.
The council leader, Richard Roberts, shared the challenges Hertfordshire is facing, pointing to the rising demand for social care services and support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as primary cost drivers. Roberts described the pressures as “extreme,” noting that the budget for social care services alone has exceeded £700 million due to high demand and inflationary costs, which have continued to affect councils nationwide.
“We are really under pressure,” Roberts said, explaining the council’s need for additional government funding. “We genuinely haven’t got the budget for it, and we alone deliver about 500 different services.” He went on to add that “in the round, I think we are being listened to,” expressing cautious optimism about recent talks with MPs and ministers.
In addition to increased social care costs, the council leader highlighted the impact of inflation on local authority spending. “Last year we put up council tax by 5% and we had inflation that peaked at 11%, but the costs of what we buy went up hugely,” he said. He also pointed out the council’s responsibility to balance support across sectors, including collaboration with the NHS and local organisations to provide necessary services without shifting financial burdens between departments.
Roberts explained that the cost of supporting complex needs for children in care has surged, with some cases costing as much as £1 million per child per year. He further warned of the council’s £25 million SEND budget deficit, which has grown significantly due to underfunded mandates and a substantial rise in demand for SEND placements and support services.
Although the council has managed to avoid cuts to frontline services thus far, Roberts acknowledged that back-office staff reductions and cuts in support roles have been necessary. "We’ve made virtually no cuts to frontline services, and we don’t intend to… but it is a significant challenge for our organisation," he said. He also called for government assistance to address the infrastructure needs of a growing local population, particularly in housing and transport, stating that these sectors are “taking a bit of a battering.”
Roberts expressed hope that additional flexibility around council tax and targeted funding for social care could be included in the budget announcement. “I hope we’ll see a bit of support for adult social care… or an improved funding for our high needs block,” he said, referencing the SEND budget requirements.
In addition to local challenges, Roberts pointed to broader economic pressures on local authorities across the UK. He explained that rising tax burdens have left many councils facing difficult financial decisions while working to meet government targets in areas such as housing development and economic growth. He urged for better alignment between government policies and the funding needed to fulfil them, particularly as local authorities are responsible for implementing public services.
“We live in a very special place,” Roberts said, speaking about Hertfordshire’s 1.2 million residents and their contributions to the local and national economy. He also called for a long-term approach to housing development, stating, “Let’s build homes that are fit for the future… not houses that need retrofitting in another 10 to 15 years.”