Warning over Wokingham finances
Councillors will be told the authority still faces 'unprecedented financial challenges'
Workforce cuts are being implemented at Wokingham Borough Council to help save £28 million over the next three years.
Financial chiefs have warned that some proposed cost-cutting measures ‘may be seen as challenging or even contentious’.
A report for the upcoming Community and Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting says that the authority continues to face ‘unprecedented financial challenges’.
In the 2023/24 financial year, new rules implemented saved £3.36 million in staffing costs, which resulted in a ‘permanent reduction in headcount across the workforce to deliver’.
A 9 per cent cut to the total workforce has been implemented for this financial year, which will reach 10 per cent by April 2026.
All decisions taken by the executive, who lead the council, should consider the financial position of the authority, the report says.
It comes as Wokingham Borough Council reported a £1.83 million overspend last year.
Council tax – as the authority’s primary source of income – is currently capped at 2.99 per cent, and other key lines of income such as car parking and leisure ‘continue to be impacted’ post-pandemic.
Other ‘extreme pressures’ on services have been created through supporting refugees, increasing housing targets, the cost-of-living crisis and greater demands on social care and special educational needs provision.
Wokingham Borough Council remains the lowest funded unitary authority per head of population in the country.
Funding issues have been worsened by inflation, which has caused financial challenges in contracts for services, utilities and construction, according to the report.
The amount required to save has increased since July – when finance chiefs said the figure was at £20 million.
The authority overspent by £1.83 million last year, but this was a significant reduction from some predictions which reached a peak of £3.6 million.
High levels of overspending where down to children’s services and adult social care.
Within these services, there are particular pressures on home to school transport. Local authorities have to pay for the transporation of children to school outside the borough, which is common for those with special educational needs.
The report is proposing further reductions which would save around £7 million between 2024/25.
This is being balanced alongside 112 major projects being delivered by the council, which the report describes as having ‘high ambition’.
The report will be discussed at the upcoming Community and Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Monday, October 7.