Replacing a leisure centre cafe with vending machines and reviewing high cost social care are among the 'non-consult' savings being proposed by council leaders.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is proposing £9.8 million of savings and budget management actions as part of its budget for 2026/27.

But for the first time in years, none of the individual proposals will be subject to public consultation.

Council chiefs say that this is because none of the savings will affect frontline services.

The council has launched public consultation on the budget as a whole, which also includes plans for a 4.99 per cent council tax hike and a request for a further £10.5 million in exceptional financial support.

Members of the council's four overview and scrutiny committees will have the opportunity to quiz cabinet members and officers on the non-consult savings at their meetings next week.

Reports to each of the committees include a list of the savings with a brief description and how much each is expected to save.

The single largest saving proposal is 'Children in Care Placements Modelling', which is set to save £2.9 million in 2026/27.

Increased demand for children's social care and expensive private sector placements have been the biggest financial problems facing the council in recent years.

The proposals include replacing the cafe at Dimensions leisure centre with a 'vending offer' (image via LDRS)

Other proposals include replacing the cafe at Dimensions leisure centre with a 'vending offer' to save £93,000. There will also be a restructure of staffing within leisure and wellbeing services, which is expected to save £164,000,

A spokesperson for the city council said: "Our approach to deciding which savings need to be formally consulted on is exactly the same as previous years.

"The 'non-consult' savings in this year's budget proposals do not impact frontline service delivery to the wider population.

"Just because something is designated a proposed 'non-consult' saving does not mean it is in any way 'secret' or that we are not interested in what the public have to say. It is still discussed publicly – for example at overview and scrutiny committees.

"The council is only required to consult on specific proposals where there is a direct impact on frontline services, a statutory duty to do so or a change in policy. "

The spokesperson said the children in care placements modelling relates to 'demand management and placement types within existing policy.

'Local engagement' will take place seeking users' views on the Dimensions proposal, which the council says is 'not removing a service, but changing the way it is offered'.

The council also says that the leisure and wellbeing staffing restructure not change the offer provided to users.

The spokesperson added: "Budget management actions include operational issues such as expected increases in income, contract efficiencies, and reductions in supplies and services expenditure.

"As we have repeatedly said: we are committed to squeezing every ounce of value out of every pound of taxpayers' money we spend."

But Councillor Dan Jellyman, leader of the opposition Reform UK group, believes there is an arbitrary distinction between consult and non-consult savings.

He said: "The officers will come with the savings proposals, and the cabinet can decide which ones they want to consult on. They're just avoiding scrutiny, just like the previous Labour administration did when their budget was full of 'TBCs'."

Here is the full list of non-consult savings:

Chief executive directorate 

• Restructure Transformation and Project Management Team – £207,000

Resources directorate 

• Restructure of Benefits Service due to the continuing reduction in Housing Benefit caseload which is transferring to the DWP – £301,000

Housing, regeneration and operations directorate 

• Review of Senior Management Structures – £150,000
• Asset and Corporate Property Management Efficiencies – £50,000
• Contract Savings from Energy from Waste – £804,000
• Realignment of Income and Expenditure Budgets within Operational Services – £250,000

Children and families directorate 

• Children in Care Placements Modelling – £2.9 million

Adult social care and all-age commissioning directorate 

• Working Age Adult Enablement and Prevention Development – £100,000
• Review Stretch Target – £1.11 million
• High Cost Care Targeted Review – £125,000

Public health, protection and wellbeing directorate 

• Replace Dimensions Café with a vending offer – £93,000
• Leisure & Wellbeing Services Staffing Restructure – £164,000

Public consultation on the draft budget will run until February 9. Residents can have their say by visiting the Stoke-on-Trent City Council website here.

They can also write to Budget 2026, c/o Executive Assistant to the Corporate Director of Resources (S151 Officer), Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke ST4 1HH.