Bath and North East Somerset Council has published its Operational Plan for 2018–20 following on from a series of local budget briefings and discussions late last year. The Council is in the process of saving £27 million, but needs to find a further £16 million by 2020. In doing so, it has announced that 300 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs will be reduced in its 2,000 FTE workforce. Consultation on these changes, which will include a management restructure, will begin within a few weeks and will be implemented over the first six months of the next financial year.

The Council will now seek to re-shape itself in light of continuing national policy change, increases in demand for key services, rising costs, and the need for it to become financially more self-sufficient as the grant from national Government dwindles.

As part of its Operational Plan, the Council says it will be investing an additional £3 million to address the increased pressures in adult social care and redesigning adult care services to help older people live independently.

We should also see over £19 million in highways and transport improvements, £8.7 million in new school buildings and primary school places being created. The Council is making a capital investment of £3 million to reshape library and customer services and develop a network of ‘community libraries’, and says it will invest a provisional £5 million in implementing new digital technology to enable service transformation.

It aims to introduce new initiatives to reduce congestion East of Bath, after plans for the fourth park and ride collapsed, and will be investing £2 million in parks, including play equipment.

The Council will also continue with its property company to contribute to satisfying local housing need and generate commercial returns. It will also need to complete the restructuring and redesign of local youth services as agreed in a previous budget and that local areas, such as Peasedown St John and Radstock are beginning to prepare for.

Most importantly, it will need to continue to save money. The Council says it will be pressing the Government for change, and asking it both directly, and through the LGA, to recognise the challenges that local authorities face and the solutions B&NES propose to help themselves. The Council says it has identified twenty key areas where a shift in approach or legislation could help address pressures or mitigate additional future costs.

As part of the Operational Plan, the Council proposes to make savings and generate income through sharing services and consolidating internal departments where it can, undertake a full management and service review, reduce office buildings in line with reductions in staffing; reduce support services for schools as most become academies and choosing to buy support services elsewhere. It also proposes to continue investing in property acquisitions to generate income, change how it supports and subsidises public transport, and implementing further efficiency measures across a range of internal departments.

Cllr Charles Gerrish (Conservative, Keynsham North) Cabinet Member for Finance and Efficiency, said: “We now have to make some difficult decisions if the Council is to become more self-supporting in the future and is to continue to live within its means.

“We will continue to provide high quality services and invest in the future to help the Council to become self-sustainable. However, we will also have to decide what to do less of, what others can do better, and what to stop doing.”

Cllr Tim Warren (Conservative, Mendip), Leader of the Council, said: “One of the keys to helping the Council spend its limited funds on the things that really matter is in getting people involved early and often in solving challenges together. The Council is looking to forge a new relationship with its partners and local people to take a more proactive role in supporting their community.

“We also recognise that these proposals will have an impact on staff, so we will be listening and working closely with them to ensure that these changes are managed with the care and attention needed.”

The full details of the proposals are available at: https://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=553&MId=5083.