WARRINGTON Borough Council is forecasting an overspend of £16.7 million.

A budget monitoring report for 2023-24, quarter two, will come before the cabinet at its meeting on Monday.

In February 2023, the council approved a budget for 2023-24 of £183.009m which included savings targets of £13.6 million.

The purpose of the report is to provide cabinet members with a forecast financial position for the year ending March 2024 and progress against the savings targets of £13.6 million included within the current year budget.

It states that, at the end of quarter two, the financial forecast outturn for 2023-24 is an overspend of £16.7 million.

“The forecast for the same period last year, 2022-23, was an overspend of £9.6m,” adds the report.

“The ability to achieve a balanced budget in the current year is increasingly difficult with current levels of funding available.

“At this stage a pragmatic approach to reporting the forecast has been taken with directors working to identify mitigating savings and cost reduction proposals to offset the overspend.

“With regard to the forecast overspend presented in this report, the council faces a significant financial challenge.

“Action is required to address and change forecast overspends in 2023-24. Focussed review of overspends, notably within adult and children’s social care, is currently being undertaken.

“Over and above the immediate measures being taken, there are other possible further actions available for consideration to assist in ensuring a sustainable financial position for the council.”

The cabinet is recommended to note the forecast overspend and note that directors will ‘continue to look at ways to bring spend back into line with the approved budget’.