Liz Truss warned of council tax rises in her own backyard

Norfolk County Council needs to find £60m of savings and cuts in its budget for the next year - and there are fears the funding gap could grow even greater.

Andrew Proctor, leader of the Conservative-controlled council has written to South West Norfolk MP Ms Truss asking for more funding for councils.

Andrew Proctor, leader of Norfolk County Council (Image: Norfolk County Council)

In the letter, Mr Proctor wrote: "As leader, I have no desire for Norfolk County Council to be seen as a high tax authority.

"I would therefore ask that you consider the future of how local government is funded as a matter of urgency.

"Adult social care is a sector which has not been fully addressed by recent white papers and is already a political ‘cliff edge’ and will worsen in the next few years if it isn’t dealt with."

Mr Proctor added: "Without putting too fine a point on where we are, we need the financial security of more government money now to avoid damaging council tax increases and ensure we can continue to deliver efficient and effective services for Norfolk’s residents."

The council has warned there is a "significant risk" the authority will have to consider cuts to service levels.

The authority has outlined how it intends to save £32.5m, including part closures of recycling centres and reducing the mobile library service - but still has £27.5m more to find for 2023/24.

Some £16m could come via a strategic review, which is likely to see council job cuts, with consultants charged with stripping out extra layers of management.

At a council meeting on Tuesday (October 11), Steve Morphew, leader of the opposition Labour group, said Mr Proctor was continuing to rely on "false hopes" of a government bailout and had been unable to influence his own national party.

Steve Morphew, leader of the Labour group at Norfolk County Council (Image: Denise Bradley)

Mr Morphew said the budget gap was likely to hit £100m amid inflation, social care costs and soaring demand.

He said: "The leader has left Norfolk exposed with no answers at a time of national crisis."

Mr Proctor said the county council's budget spend had gone up year on year and a "solid, robust, balanced budget" would be presented in February.

Eating or heating?

At the same meeting, Liberal Democrat leader Brian Watkins asked Mr Proctor what his response to an elector would be if they told him they had to choose between eating and heating this winter.

Liberal Democrat group leader Brian Watkins (Image: Liberal Democrats)

Mr Proctor said he did not agree with remarks made by Tory group chairman Jake Berry - that people could get better-paid jobs to cover their energy bills.

But he said: "Where we need to get to is personal responsibility and how we try to run our lives.

"The first thing that needs to be looked at is the context of how the government are approaching the support they give to people on benefits.

"It will get sorted out. I think there's enough momentum."

Norwich North MP Chloe Smith (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Mr Proctor said Norwich North MP Chloe Smith, the government's work and pensions secretary, tasked with looking at whether benefits should rise with inflation, had said protecting the vulnerable was a priority.