Gloucestershire County Council will allocate an extra £15 million towards repairing and resurfacing roads across the county next year, according to the Liberal Democrat-led administration’s latest budget plans. The council manages approximately 3,372 miles of roads, and this significant boost in funding aims to enhance the county’s infrastructure and fulfill campaign commitments.
Council leader Lisa Spivey (LD, South Cerney) emphasized that the increased highways investment is a direct result of the Lib Dems delivering on their election promises. The proposed total revenue budget for the coming financial year is around £697 million, encompassing a range of services beyond roads.
Cllr Spivey explained that the budget also supports vulnerable residents, advances environmental goals related to nature and climate change, and provides strong backing for the local economy. “Local government faces many challenges, but we are confident this will be a robust budget for Gloucestershire,” she said.
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The administration plans to maintain essential services while investing in new care homes, special schools, and a virtual social care academy to offer skills and training for both paid and unpaid carers. These initiatives underline the council’s commitment to social care and education alongside infrastructure improvements.
The budget proposals will be reviewed by the cabinet on December 3, followed by a public consultation running through early January to gather resident feedback.
“We have a long-term strategy to stabilize council finances, enrich vital services like better care and roads, and foster a greener, stronger local economy,” added Cllr Spivey. She also highlighted tackling a financial deficit inherited from the previous Conservative administration, stating, “We inherited a £17 million shortfall, and it has taken considerable effort to close this gap while still prioritizing investment in key community services.”
The plan includes investments in three new care homes and three new special schools. The £15 million dedicated to road maintenance fulfills a core promise to improve transportation infrastructure. Environmental commitments are addressed through a nature recovery strategy and initiatives to reduce transport emissions.
Opposition Conservative group leader Stephen Davies (C, Hardwicke and Severn) expressed skepticism over the budget, questioning the accuracy of the reported shortfall and criticizing what he called “over-promising” by the Liberal Democrats.
Despite differing political views, Gloucestershire’s new budget underscores a clear focus on infrastructure, social care, environmental sustainability, and economic stability — all aimed at ensuring the county’s ongoing growth and wellbeing.