Telford and Wrekin Council budget expected to break even

The turnaround on the position in the summer, where council bosses revealed they expected to be £500,000 in the red at year end in April 2015, will be reported to the ruling cabinet at a meeting tomorrow night. (thu)

It comes despite the report revealing under-pressure adult social services is still forecast for a £6 million-plus overspend – even with more than £2 million worth of savings being identified at the start of the financial year.

And an overspend is also projected on children in care of £1.15 million, with 300 children in care in the borough according to the latest figures for the end of August.

But a combination of being able to deliver savings earlier than expected along with "effective treasury management" has offset that, the report says.

In addition, there is expected to be nearly £3 million left over of a £7.5 million contingency fund set aside to deal with unforeseen expenditure.

Councillor Bill McClements, cabinet member for finance at Telford & Wrekin Council, said it would be used to "help cushion the effects of the deep cuts required the following year".

He said: "Despite the extreme pressures caused by successive Government cuts, the council is taking action to deliver planned savings in order to offset additional spending in some services, particularly adult social care.

"Against the background of the biggest cuts we have ever had to make, it is testament to the hard work of cabinet members and officers at the council that we're on course to be within our budget.

"At the same time we hope to be able to build up some one off funding that will allow us to phase in more slowly some of the cuts into adult social care.

"The real challenge will come in the three years, by which time we expect to have had to cut over £100m from our annual budget – equivalent to us spending £1,400 a year less on services for every household in the borough.

"The least painful cuts have all been made and the next ones will be much harder for both the council and our local residents."

The council needs to make a further £22 million in savings between now and March 2016, on top of the £53 million that has already been chopped away since 2009.

The report will be considered and discussed by the council's cabinet when it meets from 5pm tomorrow at AFC Telford United's Learning Centre in Haybridge Road, Wellington.

Members of the public are welcome to attend.