Title

HUMAN RESOURCES

Wiltshire proposes £10m staffing budget cut

Wiltshire Council has proposed to cut £10m from its staffing budget over the next two years in response to a ‘challenging financial situation’.

Wiltshire Council has proposed to cut £10m from its staffing budget over the next two years in response to a ‘challenging financial situation'.

The largest proportion of the cuts will be made through the removal of vacant posts and managing turnover.

However, the council admitted that around £2.1m relates to changes in terms and conditions.

Council chief executive Terence Herbert insisted the cuts were necessary for the local authority to balance its budget.

He said: ‘We are legally required to set a balanced budget and, given the challenging financial situation ourselves and all local authorities are facing, we have had to make difficult decisions to deliver savings to bridge the budget gap.

‘All the budget proposals we've put forward are not because of any overspend but due to a number of factors including the ongoing impact of the pandemic, the demand for services, rising inflation and ensuring we are on the strongest financial footing possible over the long-term.'

The council is currently discussing the proposals with the recognised trade unions and hopes to reach an agreement by April.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Fifty years on: Lessons from the Layfield report on local council funding

By Owen Mapley | 29 April 2026

Half a century from the Layfield Report on local government finance, many of the issues it raised remain and have become more complex, says Owen Mapley.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Regional devolution can help rebuild trust in government through growth

By Ben Lucas | 29 April 2026

Devolution offers a chance to restore people’s faith in government, writes Ben Lucas.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Kent's political possibilities

By Duncan Flynn | 29 April 2026

While the sector awaits a swathe of government decisions on unitarisation, Duncan Flynn predicts how new unitary options in Kent and Medway could play out po...

HUMAN RESOURCES

How councils are using crowdfunding to match-fund repair and reuse projects

By Frank Kibble | 27 April 2026

Frank Kibble looks at how councils can co-fund and support the repair and reuse revolution.

Popular articles by William Eichler