Bedford Borough Council’s Executive has approved a wide-ranging plan aimed at overhauling how it operates as it struggles with growing financial pressures and a projected £59 million funding gap.
At a meeting of the council’s Executive on Wednesday (7 January), mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative) said the plan set out a “clear and ambitious framework” to stabilise the council’s finances while improving services for residents.
Read: Bedford Borough Council faces £58.6m medium-term gap as borrowing rises and savings tighten
The improvement plan brings together earlier work under the council’s Stability Plan, recommendations from an external resilience review by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), and support from the Local Government Association (LGA).
Deputy mayor councillor Jim Weir (Conservative) said: “The plan is not only necessary but overdue, and one that gives us a credible, structured route back to financial stability and organisational strength.”
Significant pressures
A council report said the Borough Council faces significant pressures from demand-led services, particularly children’s services, adult social care and temporary accommodation, as well as rising costs linked to the use of agency staff.
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Previous savings have not been sufficient to keep spending within sustainable limits, prompting the need for a longer-term reset.
The plan, which covers the period from 2025 to 2030, is built around four main aims: setting a clearer vision and organisational culture, reshaping the workforce to meet future needs, restoring financial sustainability, and strengthening governance and accountability.
“We now have one clear, coherent plan with defined actions, timelines, and accountability,” the deputy mayor added.
“And that matters because our residents deserve a council that is focused, disciplined, and transparent about how it will live within its means.”
Read: Changes to green spaces charges could see some paying more council tax
Wave of cuts
Portfolio holder for finance and corporate services, cllr Marc Frost, said: “This council has ticked along for many years, and it worked okay until we got the perfect storm. With cuts in funding, with service demands and pressures and overspends.
“We’re not set up to deal with that, and I think this improvement plan will drive complete transformation of the council.”
As part of the decision, the Executive also agreed to formalise an Independent Improvement and Assurance Panel made up of external experts, alongside a new board to oversee progress.
While exact details will be presented to Full Council next week (14 January), previous reports have suggested a wave of cuts to services, price increases, and council staff restructures will be made to help balance the books.
Read: Price increases proposed for Bedford Borough Council services
A draft savings plan, which was released in February, included:
- Ending the four-hour free parking scheme at Allhallows and Lurke Street multi-storey car parks, with a full review of parking charges
- Introducing charges for green waste collections, as part of a wider review of the waste service
- Reducing or removing grants to voluntary and community organisations, including:
- Rural Grants (£100,000)
- Climate Change Grants (£100,000)
- Community Chest (£10,000)
- Bedfordshire CVS funding (£40,000)
- Reviewing library services, leisure contracts, public conveniences and community partnerships for further savings
- Restructuring within the council, including changes to the mayor’s office and communications teams
The council says that the measures are necessary to fulfil its legal obligation to set a balanced budget by 28 February 2026, while protecting statutory services wherever possible.
By John Guinn, Local Democracy Reporter
Additional reporting by Paul Hutchinson, Bedford Independent
