The coronavirus crisis has exposed Bath and North East Somerset Council’s over-reliance on tourism and rental income – and it cannot continue, the authority’s finance chief has said. 

Opposition leaders have accused the Lib-Dem administration of a “shocking and irresponsible” failure to plan for the future, but Councillor Richard Samuel said there was too much uncertainty. He said he would not develop a recovery plan “built on sand” but the Council will have to answer “difficult questions” about which services to cut. 

Councillor Paul Myers, who leads the Conservative group, told the Full Council meeting in July: “The response [to calls for longer-term planning] has been that there is too much uncertainty at present time to plan beyond March. I find this attitude shocking and frankly irresponsible as valuable time has been lost and is being lost. 

“Given the structural problems we’re facing over parking, heritage and commercial estate income, we need a complete rethink. It’s about time Cllr Samuel actually looked to produce a five-year plan instead of just waiting for the Government to bail us out.” 

The Council initially forecast a £43 million hole in its budget. Government funding will not cover the lost £17.5 million rental income from its commercial estate. 

Mr Samuel, the Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “I have absolutely no intention of letting the council’s finances run away with itself. I’d like to know from opposition members – rather than posturing politically – which kind of services to cut. These are the difficult questions. We are going to publish a revised medium-term financial strategy in the autumn.”

Stephen Sumner, LDR