Budget 2022-2023

The councils budget 2022-2023

At the Council Budget meeting in March 2022, the Budget and Council Tax report including a Medium Term Financial Planning update was agreed for 2022/23, which included the delivery of agreed budget savings of £11.5m. These savings are needed due to ongoing reductions in funding from Government, an increasing demand for services as a result of a growing and ageing population and increasing costs for the council in providing services.
Since the introduction of austerity measures in 2010, the Council has made savings in excess of £200m in response to the significant reductions in Central Government funding.
The budget set last year can be viewed here 

The Council currently estimates a significant overspend for 2022/23 due to unbudgeted cost resulting from inflation and energy price increases that the Council could not have projected within its Medium Term Financial Planning. The impact of these costs is that the Council faces the need to make savings in the region of £10m for 2023/24 onwards, as such tough decisions will have to be made about where the Council prioritises its spending and also where it reduces spending. 

These additional financial challenges have been factored into the current forecast and the impact of these pressures will need to be included within Medium Term Financial Planning assumptions. The Council is therefore looking to consult with residents and partners on where the Council should look to prioritise expenditure and where it should look to reduce levels of investment. 


WHERE DOES THE COUNCIL GET ITS MONEY FROM?

The Council’s current budget is £260 million and is funded from £122 million Council Tax, £79 million Business Rates and £59million Government funding.


WHAT DOES THE COUNCIL SPEND ITS MONEY ON?

  • £68m on Children and Young People's Service
  • £95m on Adult Care, Housing and Public Health
  • £49m on Regeneration and Environment Services
  • £22m on Central Services
  • £19m on Finance and Customer Services
  • £7m on Assistant Chief Executive portfolio

The area of highest spend is social care due to demand.
Protecting the most vulnerable children and adults, whilst continuing to provide core services – like road repairs and street cleansing – underpinned the authority’s budget for 2022/23.
The Council Plan sets out medium-term priorities and actions, building on and taking forward commitments made by members to the Rotherham community. The plan is framed around five themes: 

  • Every neighbourhood thriving 
  • People are safe, healthy, and live well 
  • Every child able to fulfil their potential 
  • Expanding economic opportunity 
  • A cleaner, greener local environment.

This consultation closed on 22 January 2023

What happens next?

The proposed budget will be scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 8th February 2023 before it is considered by Cabinet on 13th February 2023. Cabinet will make a recommendation to Council on its budget proposals.

These proposals will be debated by the Council on 1st March 2023. The agenda for this meeting will be published online on 21st February 2023.