Bedford Borough Council’s administration has told councillors there will be a £59 million funding gap over the lifetime of its 2025-30 Improvement Plan.
The plan was presented to Full Council on Wednesday (14 January) following approval by the Executive and is intended to steer the authority’s financial recovery and organisational restructuring through to 2030.
Read: Council staff cuts on the cards to help balance Borough’s books
Bedford mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative) said the Improvement Plan was developed to support the “council’s journey to financial sustainability”.
“Effective monitoring of performance will be critical to sustainable recovery and continuous improvement,” he said.
“This is what they call a live document – it will change and it will develop in the months ahead. But we need to have this improvement plan together because the shortfall is many millions, a shortfall of 32.5 million in this year.”
Mayor Wootton said it incorporates the “additional and unknown” spending pressures that have come from Children’s Services, Adult Services, temporary accommodation and the “unprecedented hike in inflation.”
“Our council finances are in a poor state, our resilience is limited, and there are difficult choices are ahead, very difficult choices.
“[This is] about the responsibility of our council to our residents, to our staff, and to the future of this council,” he said.
Government support
A report accompanying the plan confirms that it will be used to support an application for Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) from central government.
This is a form of emergency financial assistance typically reserved for councils facing severe financial distress.
The council’s deadline to express interest in EFS passed in December.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands that the council documents published today (16 January) will state that the council has asked the government for a capitalisation directive (EFS).
This doesn’t mean a grant or funding, but the council will be able to borrow (£55 million) to fund cash flow.
This will be repaid from the sale of surplus assets, but mostly by “transformation of the council.”
Read: Bedford Borough mayor rejects “fire sale” claim as public assets approved for sale
The report also confirms that the council’s recovery programme will be subject to external oversight, including a formal Independent Improvement and Assurance Panel, which will provide progress reports not only to the council but also to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Mayor Wootton said other political groups had “made their voices known” during the drafting of the plan.
“And I like to think that these things have been included,” he said.
However, the leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, cllr Henry Vann (De Parys), said: “I don’t think the report is worthy of being called an improvement plan.
“MHCLG, the LGA, Cipfa, the improvement panel, the press, councillors in this chamber, and more importantly, any residents watching should not be fooled by this improvement plan.
“This is literally kicking the can down the road. It’s dodging difficult decisions – still.
“This is not an improvement plan; we need to be really clear about that. It is a disaster recovery process document which lacks any of the detail required to secure our support, frankly.”
Already agreed
The original recommendation to Full Council was for it to consider and, if satisfied, to support the delivery of the Improvement Plan.
However, the Administration was told that the plan would not be supported, so councillors were asked instead to note the report, as it had already been agreed by the council’s Executive.
The Conservative and Labour Groups voted to note the report; the other groups and independent councillors abstained.
The Improvement Plan is structured around four aims:
- A council with a “clear vision, direction and positive culture focused on best meeting the needs of our community”.
- A council fit “for the future with an engaged and focused workforce delivering services that are efficient and focused on effective transformation to achieve the best possible outcomes”.
- A council which is “financially sustainable and resilient with good practices embedded”.
- A council “focused on transforming through implementing the Improvement Plan, building on success and achievements, ensuring that the council is well run and that members and officers understand their respective roles.”
These aims will involve internal changes to how the council operates, which may be reflected in services and council buildings.
Further progress reports on the Improvement Plan are expected to return to scrutiny committees and Full Council later this year as the council prepares its 2026/27 budget and any application for government financial support.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
