{"id":72032,"date":"2026-11-10T15:34:12","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T15:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/?p=72032"},"modified":"2026-11-10T15:34:19","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T15:34:19","slug":"government-urged-cover-devons-4m-reorganisation-bill-as-budget-pressures-continue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/government-urged-cover-devons-4m-reorganisation-bill-as-budget-pressures-continue\/","title":{"rendered":"Government urged to cover Devon\u2019s \u00a34m reorganisation bill as budget pressures continue"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Devon County Council is calling on the Government to meet the almost \u00a34 million financial impact of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), as its latest budget figures show continuing pressure on council finances.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Council\u2019s Month 6 budget report identifies \u00a31.4 million in direct costs from reorganisation and \u00a32.3 million in savings that have not been delivered because staff and resources were diverted into the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Government has announced \u00a31.8 million for the whole Devon area, but the Council says there is still no assurance that its full costs will be reimbursed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The latest figures show the Council is forecasting an \u00a38.2 million overspend this year, an improvement of \u00a3608,000 since its previous forecast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Adult social care remains the biggest pressure, with a forecast \u00a38.8 million overspend, although this has improved by \u00a31.2 million since the summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Council expects to deliver \u00a330.8 million of the \u00a338.3 million savings planned for this year.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"block_acf-block-6af33974ed3c5\" class=\"councillor-quote align-right dcc grid-x\">\r\n\t<blockquote class=\"councillor-quote-blockquote medium-auto small-12 cell\">\r\n                    <div class=\"councillor-quote-title\"><p>Councillor James Buczkowski, Cabinet Member for Finance and Public Value, said:<\/p><\/div>\r\n        \t\t<div class=\"councillor-quote-text\"><p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe financial impact identified so far (from LGR) is almost \u00a34 million. \u00a31.4 million in direct costs and \u00a32.3 million in savings not delivered because resources were diverted into reorganisation work.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut the consequences extend well beyond the bill.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>\u201cOfficers who should have been concentrating on improving services, delivering transformation and managing the pressures we have discussed were required to prepare for the Government\u2019s chosen reorganisation. That decision was then paused and subsequently withdrawn.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe should be unequivocal. Devon\u2019s residents should not be left paying for the Government\u2019s botched handling of LGR through further pressure on local services.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Government should stop this process permanently, reimburse the costs its handling has imposed, and give Devon\u2019s councils the certainty they need to concentrate fully on serving our residents.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\t<\/blockquote>\r\n        <div class=\"councillor-quote-aside medium-auto small-12 cell\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"councillor-quote-image grid-x\">\r\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"small-6 cell medium-12\" src=\"https:\/\/democracy.devon.gov.uk\/UserData\/4\/7\/5\/Info00011574\/bigpic.jpg\" alt=\"Councillor James Buczkowski\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\r\n        <figcaption class=\"councillor-quote-description small-6 cell medium-12\" >\r\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/democracy.devon.gov.uk\/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=11574\" rel=\"noopener\">Councillor James Buczkowski, Cabinet Member for Finance<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n            <\/figure>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    \r\n    <\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Council remains focused on tackling spending pressures, delivering savings and protecting the services residents rely on. It is calling on the Government to meet the costs of reorganisation and end the uncertainty that is diverting resources from those priorities and undermining long-term planning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":72033,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-democracy"],"acf":[],"featured_image":{"ID":72033,"title":"Council-Chamber-1536x1022","alt":"The council chamber at County Hall, 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