THE head of Herefordshire’s finances has defended planned savings of £20 million in the coming financial year, or nearly 12 per cent of the county’s revenue budget, following sharp cuts to the money it gets from the government.

“We have to be able to look residents in the eye and say, we are delivering best value,” cabinet member for finance Cllr Pete Stoddart said.

The council plans investments to bring down its day-to-day costs, but it intends also spending £5 million to create more pupil referral units within the county for around 70 youngsters who have fallen out of mainstream education.

Meanwhile, Cllr Stoddart explained there are a number of things the authority can do to tighten up on the cost of home-to-school transport, which is rising astronomically, he said.

The council is also assessing which of its property assets can be sold off, as they may be worth more to others, Cllr Stoddart said. He added that the council will also enter into longer-term arrangements with care providers, which could save £2.5 million off another area where costs have been rising.

Meanwhile unfilled jobs at the council will be removed if customer experience is unaffected, and gave an analogy : “It’s about losing weight around your middle rather than losing your fingers.”

But he stressed this is born of necessity following major changes to the way the government funds local authorities.

“Having a three-year settlement is good, but having one with no chance of improvement is bad,” he said.

“Why has Herefordshire come out of this so badly? Our financial resilience probably hasn’t helped us, the councillor concluded by comparing the county’s neighbours, which he felt has taken the easy option by applying for Government loans when Herefordshire has not and is meeting costs ‘head on’.