Liberal Democrat County Councillors have expressed their concern after it was revealed that Surrey County Council is planning to reduce spending on services by nearly £200 million by the end of March 2020.

The figures were released in a report to the County Council’s Cabinet alongside the Conservative-administration’s decision to hire consultants, at an undisclosed sum, to assist with the County Council’s “programme management and change capacity” project.

Liberal Democrat County Councillors have highlighted the adverse impact on vital council services that would result from a spending reduction of almost £200m over the next two years, noting that Surrey residents rely on the County Council for well-maintained roads, recycling centres, libraries, children’s centres and youth services.

The County Council’s financial problems have been compounded as the Conservative-administration failed to act upon the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA) report “Financial Resilience Review – Surrey County Council” which was published in December 2016 and which stated that the County Council lacked a “credible cost reduction plan” and highlighted the County Council’s “rapidly declining reserves”.

The County Council’s belated realisation that it is facing a financial crisis means that even more drastic cuts are being proposed than would have otherwise been necessary. And as these cuts bite, the Leader of the Council places the blame at the poor financial settlements from the government despite every one of his colleagues at Westminster who represents a Surrey constituency voting for the most recent settlement rather than his own handling of the County Council’s finances.

The spending cuts will undoubtedly mean that services currently provided to Surrey residents will be withdrawn. Quite frankly, Surrey residents deserve better.