HAMPSHIRE County Council has published the results of the consultation into slashing services to address its £132 million budget shortfall.

As previously reported, the consultation ran from January 8 to March 31, and concerned proposed cuts to services including school crossing patrols, recycling centres, homelessness support and passenger transport.

The council released the data on the consultation on Wednesday, May 8 - it shows that more than 14,400 people responded to the consultation.

No decisions on the proposed cuts have been made yet, with plans to be decided in July.

The leader of Hampshire County Council, Cllr Rob Humby, said: “It’s no secret that our budgets are under huge pressure now and into the future and like lots of councils nationally, it’s much harder to keep delivering everything we do with considerably less money available – because it’s costing a lot more to support growing numbers of children who need protecting from harm, abuse or neglect; deliver school transport for children with disabilities and additional needs; and support many more adults and older people with complex care needs and disabilities.

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“Hampshire is in a better position than many other councils nationally as we have already spent well over a decade working differently and even more efficiently, generating income, and sharing resources with other public sector organisations, as well as disposing of land and buildings we no longer need. Plus, our financial reserves have proven vital in helping to plug budget shortfalls along the way. But after 2025/26, the reserves available to help us balance the budget come to an end, so we must make tough choices on what services we can continue to deliver in future so we can keep supporting those residents who desperately need our help the most.

“To help inform these really difficult decisions this summer, the public’s feedback to our public consultation has been crucial. Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide their views and tell us their thoughts on the options put forward. The results of the consultation will now be carefully considered alongside other relevant factors, including operational, financial, policy and legal considerations, as we draw up our plans for future service delivery.

“County councillor task-and-finish groups will shortly review the consultation documents and process, receive the high-level findings from the consultation, and report to the County Council’s cross-party select committees next month. Select committees will then review the consultation results and make recommendations to the Local Authority’s Cabinet as a whole on July 9, who will take a collective final decision on the way forward to help address the £132m shortfall we face in our budgets from 2025/26 onwards, and how we ensure we can continue to protect and support those people across Hampshire who are in the most need of the County Council’s help and support.”

The full data can be viewed on the Hampshire County Council website.