COUNCIL bosses have been told to find alternative ways of saving money as millions of pounds of planned savings are at risk.

Worcestershire County Council set a target of making £38.4 million worth of savings in 2024/25 when it announced its budget in February.

But an update to the authority’s savings programme, included in agenda papers for an audit and governance committee meeting on Friday (September 20) shows a potential shortfall.

£6.1m worth of savings are described as being at a “significant risk of non-delivery” and there is “some risk of non-delivery” for further £4.5m.

According to the report: “The senior leadership team and chief officers have been instructed to find alternative, achievable savings proposals where there are current gaps in delivery, and it is expected that there will be improvement in the savings position as we move through the remainder of the financial year.”

The council’s controversial fire and rehire policy is classed as having already made £95,000 in savings, but the other £405,000 the council expects to save via this method is at risk of non-delivery.

Councillors recently voted to press on with these plans despite concerns the policy would not save the council anywhere near as much money as forecast. 

A working hours review and a review of market forces and responsibility allowances should be saving the council £1.6m - but the update says the council is only on track to save £261,000 via one of these reviews.

Reviews of senior management and council structures should be delivering £3.5m in savings, but the report says £350,000 has been achieved so far and the council is on track to save only another £1m, leaving a shortfall of £2.15m.

A million pounds of savings in adult social care and £750,000 in “retention/welcome/workforce development” at Worcestershire Children’s First are also significantly at risk.

We have asked the council for comment.