Council leader tells of hardest budget

THE LEADER of Rotherham council says he and his local authority counterparts are facing the most difficult budget-setting process they have ever known as he revealed plans to make £15m in savings this year.

The authority, which remains under partial government control two years after being taken over by government-appointed commissioners in 2015 as a result of the child sex abuse scandal, has already saved £162m since 2010.

It is waiting for the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement to be published later this month and confirmed in February before finalising the budget, but expects to have to save £31m over two years.

Council leader Chris Read said: “Like councils up and down the country, we are seeing particular budget pressures relating to social care services. Most councils are now overspending their planned budgets in these areas. This is the most difficult budget year that most of us have ever known.

“Over the next two years we’ve got to find savings of £31m. We remain committed to prioritising social care, and in children’s services in particular, to ensure that we put our most vulnerable residents first.”

The council’s budget for 2017/18 is £221m and is funded from £98m council tax, £60m business rates, £53m government funding and £10m of reserves. A consultation has been launched and the public can have their say between now and January 4.