Council makes job cuts under £9m savings plan

A raft of vacant job posts are being scrapped at Worcestershire County Council as part of a plan to cut £9m from spending.

Roles in IT, HR, finance, highways and economic development are to go at the authority.

The Reform UK leadership also intends to curtail the use of consultants and reduce maintenance at the former County Hall HQ, which has been mothballed since 2024.

Deputy leader Rob Wharton, council cabinet member for finance, said the authority was under "significant financial pressure".

Worcestershire is battling a budget shortfall for 2026-27 of more than £70m and is considering increasing council tax by up to 10 per cent from April, although the Reform administration says it still hopes to bring in a lower rise.

The authority has also asked central government for Exceptional Financial Support - effectively an emergency loan - of up to £71m, on top of the £33m the council received for the current financial year, in a bid to stave off effective bankruptcy.

The council has not confirmed how many empty jobs are being deleted, but a report on the strategy reveals how it will save about £600,000 in 2026/27.

Wharton said: "Like many county councils, Worcestershire is facing significant financial pressures due to rising demand and increasing costs in both children's and adult social care.

"Our budget is essentially fixed in cash terms and our ability to raise income is limited, so every option for savings and additional income must be explored."

The authority also intends to cut its spending on the monitoring of large projects, and reduce investment on pollution control at the now-closed Hartlebury landfill site, after striking a cost-sharing agreement with a private company.

At County Hall, the council is set to dismantle the heating and cooling systems from April and reduce energy use and general maintenance around the site, saving £576,000.

The building, due to be demolished, has been vacant since June 2024 after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and legionella bacteria were found. There has also been concern over rats.

The savings measures come ahead of a full council meeting next month, where politicians will have to set a 2026/27 budget under unprecedented financial constraints.

Councillor Adam Kent, opposition Conservative group leader, said: "Reform allowed spending to run out of control this year, borrowed to cover it up, and are now lecturing departments about discipline next year."

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