Norfolk County Council's Infrastructure and Development Select Committee has begun the formal process of setting its 2027-28 budget, with officers warning that the savings target will need to rise to plug a growing funding gap.

The committee was told that the infrastructure department's net revenue budget is currently estimated at £158 million for 2027-28, but that figure will shift as the budget process progresses toward a Cabinet decision in January and a Full Council vote in February.

Cabinet Member for Budget Responsibility Cllr Justine Thomas told the committee that the administration would prioritise efficiencies and productivity improvements before making cuts that directly affect residents. She encouraged councillors to engage fully with the budget process to help shape proposals.

One flashpoint in the discussion was the future of the Local Member Fund, which allows individual councillors to direct money toward local schemes such as road safety improvements, feasibility studies and match-funded projects. Members raised concern that abolishing the fund could leave some communities without any route to securing small-scale infrastructure improvements.

Officers noted that only two of more than 300 schemes delivered through the fund last year had involved external funding bids, and said alternative funding sources might be available but would take longer to access. Councillors were told that schemes already under way would proceed if they could be completed within the current financial year.

A broader concern raised during the meeting was the knock-on effect of the Norwich Castle Museum overspend on other budgets, including highways and fire services. Officers confirmed that no projects had been deleted, but that funding had been reprioritised to cover the increased museum costs.

Members also flagged the risk that cutting the infrastructure budget could jeopardise incentive-based government funding for highways maintenance and active travel — grants that depend partly on the council's performance ratings. Officers said they were monitoring Department for Transport requirements and working to improve Norfolk's ratings ahead of future funding rounds.

Further detail on savings proposals is expected to be brought to the committee in November, when councillors will have the opportunity to comment before options go out to public consultation.