By Rebecca Curley
local democracy reporter
Comparisons between Surrey and Northamptonshire’s financial crisis were “completely wrong”, the county’s council leader has declared.
And he assured residents that Surrey County Council’s finances are in a “safe place” and they are half way to making the £200 million worth of savings in two years they promised they would.
Commissioners were appointed in May 2018 to oversee Northamptonshire County Council as it was forced to make more than £65 million worth of savings.
At the same time, Surrey was discussing how it would make its savings in two years, with councillors questioning if it was going to have a similar experience as Northamptonshire.
Now a year later, referencing the financial crisis that hit Conservative-led Northamptonshire last year, SCC leader Councillor Tim Oliver said: “Those who predicted Surrey was another Northamptonshire were completely wrong.”
He added: “We are not using our reserves and I think what that demonstrates is we have got a proper control of our financial position.”
He said SCC still had challenges around the budgets for adult services and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) but added this was a “national issue”.
Cllr Oliver said: “We are finding a better way of delivering those services at a lower cost.”
His comments came after a budget monitoring report was presented to cabinet members on Tuesday (April 30).
Speaking in the cabinet meeting, Cllr Oliver said achieving half of the £200 million savings target halfway through the two-year deadline was “encouraging” adding: “I think people can take comfort that we are moving into a safer place financially.”
But he stressed there was still more work to be done.
The net budget for 2019/20 is £885.9m. It includes a 2.99% council tax increase amounting to an extra 81p a week for a Band D property, which was approved by councillors in February.
In the last year since April 2018, Surrey has experienced many changes at leadership level with a new chief executive, council leader, finance director and head of departments, including children’s services.
Controversial decisions to make savings have been to introduce charges at Surrey Countryside Estate car parks and community recycling centres for DIY waste, slash the number of children centres, and redesign the service delivered from them.
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