Devon’s Cabinet agrees more cash for adult care and children’s services in target budget

There will be more money to provide care for Devon’s vulnerable adults and children in the County Councils target budget for 2025/26.

The Cabinet today (Wednesday 8 January) agreed a proposed budget with an overall 5.9 percent increase in spending on local services for Devon.

There will be an 8.2 percent  increase in the revenue budget for adult services with a 5.5 percent rise in children’s services and 3.4 percent extra for climate change, environment and transport.

Reductions in other departmental spending give a total overall budget of over £784.1 million.

The full council will debate the budget next month.

The Cabinet member for finance, Phil Twiss, said:

“This overall increase includes almost £66 million in additional funding to meet the costs of inflation, national living wage increases, growing demand and other pressures in delivering all of our services.

“However, we must live within our means and ensure our total investment in services is affordable. With this in mind, savings, alternative funding and additional income totalling £21.7 million have been identified.”

He said the Government’s provisional settlement for local councils appeared positive with a 4.66 percent increase in Devon’s core spending power. But in reality, Devon had received a poor settlement with the lowest increase out of all 21 county councils nationally.

“This is particularly reflected in the loss of more than £10 million in Rural Services Delivery Grant,” he said