The test of this is not the software. It is whether someone in Barnes trying to get a care assessment, a housing repair or a school place in 2029 finds it easier, or just finds a form.
The way you contact Richmond Council is about to be rebuilt. One "front door" for service requests and information, a "single view" of each resident on staff screens, more automation and self-service, and AI tools meant to predict demand and identify people likely to need extra support.
That is the shape of a transformation programme whose scope the council's finance committee signed off on 24 September, along with a further £18m to deliver it on top of £1.5m already committed. The target is savings of £39m a year by 2029.
The reason given is the one Barnes has been hearing all autumn. The council says a new government funding formula will cut its income by £29m in real terms by 2028/29 — 58 per cent of its core central funding.
Six major areas of the council are being redesigned. Between them, they cover most of what the council actually does for a household here — care assessments, school places, housing repairs, parks, bins and street works.
Deputy Leader Jim Millard said the work had to happen "rapidly and effectively" because the council was at "a very severe pinch point".
One number has moved. In February the council was describing an agreed £30m transformation programme against the same £29m gap. Seven months later the figure is £39m, and the extra £9m has not been explained in anything the council has published. Either the savings needed have grown or the plan has become more ambitious, and the difference matters.
The test of this is not the software. It is whether someone in Barnes trying to get a care assessment, a housing repair or a school place in 2029 finds it easier, or just finds a form. £18m is a large bet placed before any of it is proven, and the documents that say what changes in adult social care, children's services and housing have not been put in front of the people who use them. Those are the papers to ask for, and the question worth pressing before the money goes out is a plain one: what information will a council computer hold on a named person in order to decide they are likely to need help, and who checks it.
- Richmond Council says it faces a real-terms cut of £29m in government funding by 2028/29, equivalent to 58% of its core central funding.
- The council aims to save £39m a year by 2029 by redesigning six departments: adult social care & public health, children's services, housing, corporate functions, environment, and growth and place.
- The Finance, Policy and Resources Committee approved the scope of the transformation programme on 24 September and signed off a further £18m investment, on top of £1.5m already set aside.
- Plans include a single 'front door' for service requests, a 'single view' of residents for staff, more automation, and AI tools to predict service demand and identify people likely to need support.
- Deputy Leader Cllr Jim Millard said the council is 'facing a very severe pinch point' and the transformation must happen 'rapidly and effectively'.
- The council's February 2026 budget book described a £30m transformation programme against the same £29m funding gap — the jump to £39m has not been publicly explained.
- No detail of the six business cases, including specific service or job implications, has yet been made public.
Every factual claim in this story is linked to the evidence behind it. Where the newsroom has added judgement or framing, it is listed separately. Sources accessed 2 October 2026.
- How budget cuts could save Richmond £39m a year (media)
- Finance, Policy and Resources Committee - 24 September 2026 (council)
- Cash-strapped London council reveals savings plan (media)
- Richmond Council sets £39m cost-cutting plan (media)
- Richmond Council plans £39m savings as funding cuts loom (media)
- Richmond Council plans £39m savings through service overhaul (media)
- www.richmond.gov.uk (council)
Claim by claim (8 facts, 10 editorial judgements)
- Richmond Council faces a real-terms funding cut of £29m by 2028/29, equivalent to 58% of its core government funding — media, 2026-09-25“faces annual cuts of £29m by 2029 under a new government funding formula... This amounts to 58% of its central funding.”
- The council has published business cases to redesign six departments, aiming to save £39m a year by 2029 — media, 2026-09-25“set out key cost-cutting plans... redesign services across six major areas... in a bid to eventually save £39million a year.”
- Plans include a single 'front door' for service requests, a 'single view' of residents, more automation, and AI tools to predict demand and identify people likely to need support — media, 2026-09-25“introduce a single 'front door' where residents and businesses can raise service requests and find information... develop tools to better predict demand for services.”
- The Finance, Policy and Resources Committee approved the scope of the transformation programme on 24 September 2026 and approved a further £18m investment on top of £1.5m already set aside — media, 2026-09-25“The Council's finance committee approved the scope of the transformation programme on 24 September. It also green-lit a further investment of £18m, on top of the £1.5m already set aside.”
- A Finance, Policy and Resources Committee meeting was scheduled for 24 September 2026 at York House — council, 2026-09-24“Finance, Policy and Resources Committee meeting on Thursday 24 September 2026, 7pm, at York House”
- Deputy Leader Cllr Jim Millard said the transformation needed to happen 'rapidly and effectively' because the council is 'facing a very severe pinch point' — direct_statement, 2026-09-25“facing a very severe pinch point”
- James Wills-Fleming is the council's director of transformation and commented on the programme — media, 2026-09-25“James Wills-Fleming, director of transformation, added that along”
- The council's February 2026 budget book referred to an 'agreed £30m Transformation Programme' against the same £29m funding gap — council, 2026-02-01“Richmond Council is committed to tackling financial pressures through its agreed £30m Transformation Programme; projected £29m reduction in funding by year three.”
- Judgement: The savings target rising from £30m to £39m has not been explained by the council in material published so far
- Judgement: The council is pursuing the £18m internal savings programme in parallel with its separate case to government over funding, regardless of that case's outcome
- Judgement: The way you contact Richmond Council is about to be rebuilt.
- Judgement: Between them, those six areas cover most of what the council actually does for a household in Barnes, Castelnau or Mortlake.
- Judgement: Seven months later the figure is £39m, and the extra £9m has not been explained in anything the council has published.
- Judgement: Either the savings needed have grown or the plan has become more ambitious, and the difference matters.
- Judgement: The test of this is not the software.
- Judgement: It is whether someone in Barnes trying to get a care assessment, a housing repair or a school place in 2029 finds it easier, or just finds a form.
- Judgement: £18m is a large bet placed before any of it is proven, and the documents that say what changes in adult social care, children's services and housing have not been put in front of the people who use them.
- Judgement: Those are the papers to ask for, and the question worth pressing before the money goes out is a plain one: what information will a council computer hold on a named person in order to decide they are likely to need help, and who checks it.