Dorset Council vows no service cuts despite budget pressures

Dorset Council is in a stronger position than some of its peers, the finance director said

A council finance director has vowed to balance the authority's budget without cutting services or using reserves.

Aidan Dunn told Dorset Council £18m of "efficiencies" had been identified for 2024-25 but also "increases in budgets where demand requires it".

He said there were "demanding" pressures on children's and adult services and home-to-school transport.

However, Mr Dunn said the authority was in a "stronger place" than some of its peers.

The council had no risk of insolvency, he told members of the Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee.

"Dorset Council's problems are proportionately less than many other councils," he said.

Outlining a recommended budget for the year from April, he said frontline services had been protected and there would be no "wholesale" job losses.

Mr Dunn told the committee: "This isn't a budget that contains a series of cuts. This is a budget that has continued efficiencies but also increases in budgets."

He said the council tax and charges, such as for trade and green waste, would increase by 5%.

Mr Dunn said the authority was setting aside £12m of reserves to underwrite a seven-year transformation programme, called Our Future Council, aiming to deliver more efficiencies.

Final budget decisions will be made by the authority in February.