Devon County Council has agreed to put over £60 million pounds towards adult care and children’s services in their target budget for 2025/2026.

The Cabinet agreed on January 8 to a proposed budget that would see a 5.9 per cent increase in spending on local services in Devon.

Phil Twiss, the Cabinet member for finance, said: “This overall increase includes almost £66 million in additional funding to meet the costs of inflation, national living wage increases, growing demand and other pressures in delivering all of our services.

“However, we must live within our means and ensure our total investment in services is affordable. With this in mind, savings, alternative funding and additional income totalling £21.7 million have been identified.”

There will be an 8.2 per cent increase in the revenue budget for adult services with a 5.5 per cent rise in children’s services and 3.4 per cent extra for climate change, environment and transport.

Reductions in other departmental spending give a total overall budget of over £784.1 million.

The full council will debate the budget next month.

Angie Sinclair, Director of Finance, said: “Inflationary pressures continue to be felt across the economy, local government and our partners, despite the rate of inflation reducing in the past two years from its peak.

“Social care is particularly impacted by increases to the national living wage which is again increased by above inflation and the increases to National Insurance announced in the Chancellor’s Budget.

“The cost of inflation places sustained financial pressures both on our households and communities and our suppliers and service providers and contributes to the ongoing impact in terms of price and demand pressures on the authority’s budget.

“Overall, there is additional funding of £44 million or 5.9 percent for services next year compared to the adjusted base budget.”