Council could cut services and introduce new charges as £199m budget gap looms
It has warned more public services could be cut
Cash-strapped Hampshire County Council could make further cuts to services, increase charges and delay essential spending as it faces a record £198.9m budget shortfall next year.
Residents are being asked what they think should be done to help balance the books before decisions are made. Options include new on-street parking charges, higher parking fees and increased charges at country parks.
People could also be charged to visit recycling centres or for concessionary bus travel, although changes to the law would be needed before either could happen. Fees for weddings and civil partnerships could also go up. Council tax could rise too.
The £198.9m shortfall already assumes a 4.99 per cent increase in 2027/28, which would add £84.33 a year, or £1.62 a week, to the county council part of a Band D bill.
The council says each extra one per cent would bring in around £9.4m and is asking residents what they think about rises above 4.99 per cent.
Other options include only carrying out essential health and safety repairs to council buildings, stopping staff training and replacing IT equipment only when it breaks.
The council accepts delaying this spending could cause disruption or cost more in the future. Further service cuts are also being considered, although the council has not yet said which services could be affected.
Previous savings programmes have included cuts to community transport, the withdrawal of some bus routes and grants for community groups, reduced road maintenance spending and longer periods without street lighting. The council says future cuts could be different and would be subject to separate consultations.
Council leader Nick Adams-King said £95m of savings had been made last year, with another £40m built into this year’s budget.
But he warned: “A £198.9 million shortfall cannot be closed through efficiencies alone.”
Cllr Adams-King said growing demand for social care and school transport was adding to the pressure.
He added that spending on school and post-16 transport had risen from £50m to £92m in four years, partly because of growing demand for transport for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The council could also sell land and buildings it no longer needs. In 2025/26 it raised £19.2m from asset sales.
It has also budgeted to use £329.7m from its reserves between 2022/23 and 2026/27, including £101.9m this year, but says reserves alone cannot cover the £198.9m gap. Another option is asking the government for exceptional financial support.
This would not be an extra grant, but could allow the council to borrow or use money normally reserved for major projects to fund everyday services.
The council estimates that using £50m in this way could cost around £5.5m a year for 20 years in repayments and interest.
Cllr Adams-King said: “We owe residents honesty about the choices ahead. This consultation gives everyone the opportunity to tell us what matters most before decisions are made.”
The consultation closes on December 13, 2026. Residents can take part in the budget consultation here.