Swindon & Wiltshire News
Wiltshire Council head to address business leaders over challenging 2015
The leader of Wiltshire Council will be addressing Wiltshire’s bosses this month, at the first Wessex Chambers business breakfast of the year.
Councillor Jane Scott will be outlining the council’s plans for 2015 – at a time when it faces budget savings of £30 million.
Businesses and residents were this week invited to a series of seminars to find out how it would face its financial challenges, and prioritise spending.
The council currently spends around £900m each year on more than 350 services. The changing demographics, rising inflation and reduction in funding from central government has meant the council has had to find substantial savings which will continue into next year’s budget and beyond.
But central government’s grant to Wiltshire Council will be £103.8 million for the next financial year (2015/16), down from £119 million this year (2014/15).
Wiltshire Council needs to make around £30 million worth of savings in 2015/16 as a result of an increased demand for services and inflation, combined with the cut to the central government grant.
The meetings will take place at Chippenham Town Hall on 26 January, from 6pm; The Atrium in County Hall, Trowbridge, on 27 January, from 5pm; The Corn Exchange, Devizes, on 3 February, from 5.30pm; and at Salisbury Guild Hall, on 5 February, from 5.30pm.
The Wessex Business Breakfast takes place last Cumberwell Park Golf Club near Bradford on Avon on Friday, January 30 from 7.30am. Tickets cost £16 for members and £36 f0r non-members.
For more information, or to book a place, log on to www.wessexchambers.org.uk/events
