Hampshire County Council seeks views of the public as it announces cuts to services in order to plug £132m budget shortfall

RESIDENTS are being asked to have their say on cuts to services as Hampshire County Council tries to plug a £132 million budget shortfall.

Parking charges in countryside car parks, a reduction in highways maintenance, and getting rid of school lollipop wardens are among a raft of cost cutting measures being considered.

The council has just agreed a financial strategy for 2025/26 to help it fulfil its obligations while also making cuts.

In its consultation it will be asking residents to consider several proposals which could help it achieve this, including a move towards changing and reducing some services.

Leader of HCC, Cllr Rob Humby explained: “Making the most of the public’s money is our priority and we take very seriously our legal responsibility to ensure we deliver a balanced budget.

“This will become increasingly challenging after April 2025 as our costs keep rising, and demand continues to grow for vital local services like social care.

“We cannot wait for a long-term national remedy however, so it’s up to us to look at what we can do locally to start to close the budget gap in future years and ensure we can continue to deliver services that protect those children and adults who most need our help.”

Among the target areas the public will be asked for feedback on are adult social care grants, grant funding provided to Hampshire Cultural Trust, a reduction on planned highways maintenance and the winter service, introducing parking charges in countryside car parks and dimming streetlights – or even switching them off altogether in certain streets during part of the night.

The public will be invited to provide feedback on proposals over several weeks, starting from early January next year.

Final decisions will then be made by cabinet councillors later in 2024.