Cuts proposals put out for consulting

Reductions in government grants, inflation and greater demands on funding for adult social care and vulnerable children mean the county council must cut £157m from its budget by 2018.

Cabinet also agreed to set the council’s annual budget for 2014-15 at just over £515m and raise council tax by 1.99 per cent - subject to the government confirming a referendum would not be needed for increases of 2 per cent or more.

During the same meeting cabinet considered a report into the findings of a public consultation about the budget held in Derbyshire last year.

More than 2,800 people took part in the Your Derbyshire, Your Say consultation, which asked people for their views about options for setting council tax as well as asking them to prioritise council services.

Fifty-eight per cent of respondents said they would support a council tax increase of 2 per cent or more.

A report of revenue budget monitoring for each department showed overspends totalling £6.959m for the year up until 30th November 2013.

The cabinet was also told new capital schemes for the coming year totalled £59m, with borrowing for these new schemes being £9m - less than previous years.