WOKINGHAM Borough Council is considering a number of cuts as it looks to plug a multi-million pound hole in its budget.
The council predicts a shortfall of more than £4 million in its revenue for the next financial year and has identified potential opportunities to save money, which will be discussed by the Community and Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Setting the budget for the following year will be “one of the toughest the council has ever faced” because the cost of all it does is increasing, with inflation currently above 10%, more than double what it was at this time last year.
Another challenge for the council is that most of its income is generally fixed, and in some cases falling.
This means the council is being forced to review its spending and will have to make decisions about what can continue and what can be changed to compensate.
Cllr Clive Jones, leader of the council, said: “For many years Wokingham Borough Council has been one of the worst funded local authorities in the country and everybody knows the difficult financial situation we are experiencing across the country, which is hitting us extremely hard.
“Pretty much all the things we do are costing us more money and we just don’t have more money to pay for them.
“So, difficult decisions will have to be made and we are determined to make these decisions following discussion and open debate but also in line with the principle of protecting the most vulnerable people.”
Cllr Jones said the council is responsible for “vital services” which it is committed to protecting.
These services support those with learning difficulties and physical disabilities,help save people from domestic abuse, help keep children safe from abuse and neglect and people struggling with the cost of living crisis.
Cllr Imogen Shepherd-Dubey, executive member for finance, believes setting the budget is a complex process but officers and councillors have simple principles when tackling it,
“We will look to make efficiencies wherever possible, and we will protect our most vulnerable people wherever possible, ” she said.
“The process will be open to scrutiny from councillors and members of the public.
“This will lead to us agreeing a budget in February 2023 and, despite the dreadful financial situation in the country, we will set a balanced budget at that time that focuses on those in the borough who most need our support.
“We are currently looking at a revenue deficit of more than £4 million if we carry on just as we are. We cannot continue to function as a council if we do not find ways to close this gap. I cannot begin to emphasise how serious this situation is.”
The first of these Community and Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committees took place after Wokingham.Today went to print on Wednesday, October 26.
There will be a series of further public meetings to discuss other budget proposals and the findings from these discussions will be used to draft a budget to be agreed in February.
The proposals being made and discussed at these meetings are, at this stage, not set in stone and will be considered by councillors at public meetings.
