"NO cuts to services, no ‘wholesale’ job losses" – the pledge from the senior officer in charge of Dorset Council’s budget.

A situation which may have just improved with news that the Government is planning to pump an extra £600million into local government for social care, although it is not yet known what Dorset’s share will be.

The cash injection comes after an intervention by more than 40 MPs making a plea for more money for local government.

Executive director in charge of Dorset Council finances, Aidan Dunn, has told councillors that thanks to savings already made and healthy financial reserves the council is in a better position than many, including immediate neighbours.

The director says that although services and jobs should be safe there may be a ‘course adjustment’ when spending plans are reviewed in September or October, but only if the projected figures do not match the reality.

The authority has been planning an increase in both council tax and fees and charges of around 5% from April, with a final decision to be made at the February full council meeting.

Said Mr Dunn at the end of a mammoth 5hour 40minute meeting looking at the budget: “We have got no plans for wholesale redundancies at all based on the plans in front of us and no plans for wholesale redundancies associated with ‘Our Future Council’.

“We will take stock in September-October and, if it hasn’t gone to plan, we will have time to do something about it.”

His comments about ‘wholesale redundancies’ is not a guarantee there will be no redundances: In a normal financial year the council expects to see around 2 per cent of its staff leave their posts, some for performance issues or changes in ways of working.

Budget predictions include an 8 per cent overall increase available to the council for 2024-25, no cuts to services, £18m of service ‘efficiencies’, a contingency budget of £5m and an ‘Our Future Council’ savings target of £12m to be underwritten by reserves while proposals are developed and delivered during 2024 and 2025/26.

Mr Dunn said that the exploration of different ways of working and new ways of delivering services as part of the re-modelling of the council under the Our Future Council programme will be underpinned by reserve funding.

“It’s not there to plug a gap in the budget. We have the reserves, if necessary, but I would rather not use them,” he assured councillors.