Nottinghamshire County Council has revealed how it plans to save at least £45 million over the next three years.
The Reform authority’s leader, Mick Barton, says this large figure could increase because the council’s “efficiency review” into its services is still ongoing.
In a November cabinet meeting, it was noted how the authority intends to find £45.3 million in “mitigations” as it faces a £15.9 million budget shortfall by 2028/29.
Back in June 2025, the freshly elected Reform council embarked on its months-long efficiency review to see where it could save cash within areas such as adult social care and children’s services.
Revealing a breakdown of the savings figure on Tuesday (11), Councillor Barton said the “£45 million plus” figure is an initial projection of what the authority could save over the next three years, but this could increase.
He said: “We’ve said £45 million plus, and that is still ongoing because the efficiency program review is still ongoing – it’s not finished yet.
“It won’t be finished until probably December [2025] – maybe even January. We’re having a lot of meetings each month about it and going through each department to see where we can make better ways of working and make efficiencies.”
As part of the revealed savings plan over the next three years, a £21.28 million saving across adult social care and children’s services is currently anticipated.
Around £9.6 million is expected to be achieved in 2025/26 by reviewing high-cost care packages and exploring “direct payment” options within adult social care.
Other efforts include “maximising” prevention efforts to reduce the need for older people to require care packages, continuing technology-enabled care and working with children and families earlier to improve care packages.
Adult social care, children’s services and the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) service form some of the largest costs for local authorities in the country.
For the 2025/26 financial year, the authority is projecting a £3.1 million overspend which stems from overspends in adult social care, transport and environment services – these are expected to be partially offset by an underspend elsewhere due to the Business Rates Relief grant.
November budget papers show service demand pressures in adult social care have increased by £7.28 million in the 2026/27 financial year, mainly caused by a projected increase of £4.5 million in adult social care, which “reflects extensive growth in care package demand”.
Speaking on the over £21 million projected saving, the leader said: “None of our efficiencies will have an effect on the people in adult social care that we’re looking after – we’re just looking at doing the job a lot better and more efficiently.
“For the high-tech equipment, for carers, we’ve already invested heavily in it.”
The authority is also looking to save £17.52 million on external placements for children in care – meaning more effort will be put into reducing the pay for external placement providers, which will include commissioning a new set of specialist children’s homes and an aim to increase family-based placements.
Around £1.69 million in SEND savings is currently projected, along with £1.83 million in SEND transport savings.
The SEND transport efficiencies are expected to come from efforts such as a change in the “post-16 transport to direct travel assistance payment” – listed as a £2.3 million mitigation according to a council document – and moving pre-16 transport to a direct travel assistance payment, estimated as a £280,000 mitigation.
Plans also include the withdrawal of faith school transport, expecting to save £900,000, but this has a two-year time lag to allow current students in years 10 and 11 to complete school.
Cllr Sam Smith (Con), leader of the opposition at the council, said the authority was “playing spreadsheet wizard” and “back-loading” its savings.
He said: “How can you right now know how many children will require SEND services or adult social care within the next three years? They’ve put an estimate into a spreadsheet and it’s produced a figure.
“The cost of care and SEND will balloon – it’s built on sand.
“Based on guessing the amount of people who will require care, experience will tell you that no matter how good you are at guessing, councils across the country – I’d put money on it – guess lower than the actual demand. Adult social care is always overspent in most authorities every year.”
