The Council's Budget to 2024-25
At the Council Budget meeting in March 2023, the Budget and Council Tax report including a Medium Term Financial Planning update was agreed for 2023-24, which included the delivery of previously agreed budget savings of £4.4m and new savings of £4.3m (made up of temporary and permanent savings). 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 due to the impact on significantly high inflation.
The Council currently estimates an overspend for 2023-24 of £4.2m due to:
- Placement pressures within Children and Young People’s Services and Adult Social Care
- Home to School Transport pressures within Regeneration and Environment and Children and Young People’s Services
- Pressures on income generation within Regeneration and Environment, relating to the longer-term recovery from Covid-19 and the cost of living crisis
- Inflationary costs impacting the cost of food in Schools Catering and contractual and provider inflation impacting Children and Young People’s Services
- Increased costs of homelessness due to increased demand
- Increased property costs in Regeneration and Environment
These additional financial challenges have been factored into the current forecast and the impact of these pressures will need to be considered as part of the 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 £302 million and is funded from £129 million Council Tax, £89 million Business Rates and £83 million Government funding.
What does the council spend its money on?
- £65m on Children and Young People's Service
- £120m on Adult Care, Housing and Public Health
- £54m on Regeneration and Environment Services
- £35m on Central Services
- £21m 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 2023-24.
The Council Plan
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