Local government finances can be complicated, Just to prove how tight things are – despite a “good” settlement last year – at the moment Bridgend Council is set to narrowly miss its target to find £2.4million worth of cuts and savings carried over from previous years (pdf).
Just over £2.1million has been found across all departments, but there’s a stubborn £270,000 that still needs to be found based on the council’s budget plans.
Most of the savings/cuts yet to be found are in the Social Services & Wellbeing Directorate, including £70,000 worth of cuts to library services and the stalled introduction of new charges/increased take up of telecare (which was estimated to have possibly raised £75,000 this year).
Elsewhere, a target to find £350,000 worth of efficiency savings within the council’s backroom departments has so far been missed by £25,000.
Also, a new scheme for roadworks permits – which is estimated could raise £100,000 a year – is still awaiting approval and is likely to be shunted into 2022-23.
