A huge overspend of £8.6 million is forecast for Buckinghamshire Council, according to a bleak update on its financial future.
It comes as the unitary authority has been plunged into “significant financial pressures” due to continued increase in demand and complexity of need in adult social care and children’s social care.
The £8.6 million net overspend on the unitary authority’s revenue budget for the 2023/24 financial year came in an update for the second quarter of the financial year presented to Cabinet this week.
The council said its predicted overspend was primarily due to “pressures” in health and wellbeing, education and children’s services from demand and market insufficiency issues.
It added that these were “coupled with pressures in housing and homelessness, and regulatory services in temporary accommodation budgets and transport budgets”.
The £8.6m overspend is the result of an overall deficit of £15.2m (£14m last quarter) in the council’s investment portfolios offset by a £6.6m (£5.7m last quarter) surplus in the area of “corporate and funding”.
The council also said it had implemented action plans to address pressures financial pressures, “with a view to urgently bringing budgets back into line”.
The council said £30.4m of savings and income targets were already incorporated into the approved 2023-24 revenue budgets.
The Aylesbury Arm has been closed to navigation since mid-June due to low water levels, and now a Canal & River Trust spokesperson has confirmed to Bucks Radio, “Water is now being restored to this pound after an issue caused by interference with lock apparatus."
Buckinghamshire residents, businesses and interested groups are being asked for their views on the council's approach to future development in the county, in light of a significant increase in the number of new homes central government says must be built here.
Last Wednesday, at the Elgiva Theatre in Chesham, ten charitable organisations received a share of £120,000 in cash grants to help further support their vital work and community services.
Following today's announcement (9/9) that they will close 3 day centres, Buckinghamshire Council have announced a new and improved model for how it provides day care and overnight respite services for adults with disabilities and complex needs.