Gloucester City Council’s Liberal Democrat leader, Councillor Jeremy Hilton, has firmly rejected demands to resign following the council’s latest reported overspend, which now exceeds £1.1 million. Despite the authority’s financial challenges and an emergency government bailout offer of up to £15.5 million, Cllr Hilton insists his administration is taking necessary steps to rectify previous mismanagement.
Earlier this month, the council’s financial outturn report revealed an overspend of £1.125 million in the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, covering October through December 2025. This development prompted sharp criticism from the opposition, with Labour group leader Terry Pullen directly questioning who was responsible and demanding Cllr Hilton’s resignation.
In response, Cllr Hilton argued that the overspend resulted largely from a comprehensive audit and recalibration of budgets that had previously been based on rough estimates. “We’ve gone through the entire budget in precise detail for the first time since 2021,” he explained. “These figures are the most accurate we’ve had in several years, as we work to clear up past financial chaos.”
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Hilton dismissed criticisms of his leadership, stating, “You should thank us for doing such a good job.” He emphasized that no new decisions by his administration had caused the overspend, framing their efforts as essential financial housekeeping.
However, Cllr Pullen remained steadfast in his critique, accusing the council of a “litany of financial failures.” He argued that while some issues predated the current leadership, the Liberal Democrats were responsible for setting the 2025/26 budget accurately — a task they have failed to accomplish. “The people of Gloucester, the council taxpayers, have had enough,” Pullen said. He insisted that the loss of public trust warranted Cllr Hilton’s immediate resignation.
Hilton countered by pointing to the financial disarray left by the previous Conservative administration, which had presented unaudited accounts across three reporting periods. “We’ve been uncovering and correcting these issues, introducing robust budget monitoring,” he stated confidently.
The debate escalated, with Pullen accusing Hilton of ongoing incompetence and Hilton retorting that Pullen’s financial critiques were often inaccurate. The standoff highlights deep divisions within Gloucester City Council as it grapples with fiscal instability and public dissatisfaction.