Plans to invest hundreds of millions of pounds in services in Hertfordshire have been highlighted by leading county councillors as they open up draft budget proposals for four weeks of scrutiny.

The "affordable and ambitious" proposals set out how Hertfordshire County Council's Liberal Democrat administration intends to allocate the council's £1.2 billion revenue budget in 2026-27.

They include raising HCC's element of residents' council tax bills by 4.99% – which would mean band D households paying an extra £88.32 – and the need to make £55 million of savings.

At a meeting of the council's cabinet on Wednesday (January 14) members highlighted where they intend to boost investment.

Presenting the draft budget, executive member for resources and performance Cllr Chris Lucas said the budget proposals would enable HCC to invest an additional £106m in the services that "matter most to our residents".

He pointed to the planned creation of 1,150 new school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and £6.3m to improve opportunities and outcomes for such pupils through the recruitment of educational psychologists and other staff in assessment teams. There would also be an extra £16m to support looked-after children and those in adversity to thrive into adulthood.

Cllr Lucas cited an extra £47m investment in adult care services, £75m for additional supported living, housing with care and nursing home accommodation, and £12m for two new day centres and improvements to existing facilities.

"This budget is shaped by our residents' views and our shared priorities, including supporting and protecting the most in need, which accounts for over 70% of our day-to-day spending," he said. 

"As a financially responsible council committed to delivering more, we will continue to innovate and ensure we are working as efficiently as possible to reduce costs and provide good value for money."

Cllr Lucas highlighted the need to reduce costs by £57m over the next year through a range of measures that would include a focus on prevention, as well as driving innovation, efficiency and productivity, raising income and making savings.

He acknowledged the need to raise council tax by 4.99%, including 2% that is ring-fenced for adult social care.

He said it was a budget that showed they were "on our residents' side".

He told cabinet colleagues: "This budget is a compassionate and inclusive budget for all Hertfordshire residents; a budget designed specifically to provide access to support and services for safe, fulfilling, healthy and dignified life; a budget that provides short-, medium- and long-term stability for our county; a budget that reflects the values of this Liberal Democrat administration to provide a fairer, greener and more caring Hertfordshire."

In response, leader of the council Cllr Steve Jarvis said it was really good news that they had been able to deliver some "really worthwhile things for people in Hertfordshire, when the Government's funding position is making life much more difficult than would otherwise have been the case".

Cllr Ajanta Hilton, executive member for public health and community safety, mentioned proposals to invest £2.9m in the public health investment programme and £2.8m earmarked for an advocacy service for violence against women and girls.

She also pointed to ongoing investment in Herts Fire and Rescue Service facilities and highlighted the importance of the council's trading standards service.

Executive member for environment, transport and growth Cllr Paul Zukowskyj highlighted planned investment in the demand responsive Herts Lynx minibus service and additional investment in 20mph zones, which he said would mean they could cover "a huge amount" of urban areas in the county.

Deputy executive member for highways Cllr Helen Campbell welcomed plans to increase highways locality budgets, which are allocated by local county councillors. And she reported that they were continuing to progress the trials on pothole fixing.

Executive member for sustainability Cllr Adrian England said it was the first increase for central reserve for capital investment in sustainability for the six years since the council's declaration of climate emergency in 2019.

Meanwhile, executive member for education, SEND and inclusion Mark Watkin said the budget underlined the council's commitment to SEND.

Anthony Rowlands, executive member for children's social care, said that the pressures being faced by families and children had never been greater. He highlighted an additional £16m in the proposals to support looked after children, as well as £1m to raise allowances for foster carers.

Executive member for adult care services Cllr Sally Symington said the budget proposals balanced demand for statutory services with the provision of additional benefits to the most vulnerable.

She pointed to the overall increase allocated to adult care services – to a total of £563m, equivalent to 47% of the council's services budget – and plans including further investment in care worker pay and funding to meet increasing demand.

She also highlighted proposed investment in services designed to enable people to live well in their own homes for longer.

The draft budget proposals were formally backed by the cabinet. They will now be subject to scrutiny at a series of meetings before the final budget is determined by the full council in February.