Devon County Council allocates full grant to support homeless services and roads

Devon County Council's Cabinet has made a crucial decision to provide full financial support for homeless services as well as road maintenance in the region for the upcoming year, following a recent budget discussion.

Initial proposals had suggested a reduction in funding for homeless support as part of the county council's efforts to achieve budget savings.

Despite not having statutory responsibility for housing and homelessness, the council has historically contributed financially to these services.

However, after the final financial settlement from the Government revealed a slight surplus, council leaders opted to allocate additional funds to bolster the homelessness budget.

An extra £716,000 will be added to the existing budget, bringing the total to £1.45 million.

In addition to supporting homeless services, the council has earmarked an extra £1.5 million for regular drainage works aimed at reducing the prevalence of potholes on Devon's roads.

The funding will facilitate more frequent maintenance to address issues caused by drainage failures during heavy rainfall, ultimately improving road conditions for motorists.

Addressing the decision, Phil Twiss, Devon's Cabinet member for finance, has shared the importance of responding to community feedback and addressing pressing concerns.

He explained the need to prioritise essential services while also acknowledging the valuable work done by district councils and organisations like the YMCA in supporting the homeless population.

Mr Twiss stated, "Councillors' postbags regularly include complaints from motorists about potholes on our roads, and it is important that - when there is some extra money available - we do our best to tackle the problem."

The proposed budget for 2024/25, will include increased spending on children's services, adult services, and initiatives related to climate change and the environment.

The final budget will be deliberated upon by the full council in its upcoming meeting, with an overall increase in spending of 6.3 percent projected for the next fiscal year.

The council's total budget for 2024/25 is set to exceed £743 million.