Gloucester Council Leader Defends Position Amid Calls to Resign Over £1m Overspend
Thursday, July 23, 2026
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Gloucester City Council’s Liberal Democrat leader, Cllr Jeremy Hilton, has firmly rejected demands to step down following a significant budget overspend exceeding £1 million. The authority recently disclosed an overspend of £1.12 million for the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, despite being offered an emergency government bailout of up to £15.5 million.
During the full council meeting on July 16, Labour group leader Terry Pullen questioned who should be held accountable for the overspend and whether Cllr Hilton would resign.