Fenland District Council is facing a projected budget shortfall of over £4 million by 2029-30 if no action is taken. The council leader has stated that the authority will take steps to address the issue, while acknowledging the need for potential council tax increases.
Fenland District Council might not be able to avoid council tax increases, but the authority should be able to become 'more efficient', says the leader. A council has sounded a warning that it faces a shortfall of more than £4m by 2029-30 if no action is taken.
A report by Fenland District Council said its latest projected deficit was 'significantly higher' than previous forecasts, citing legal fees relating to the Wisbech incinerator and additional costs in the planning department because of difficulties with staff recruitment and retention. Conservative council leader Chris Boden said he was 'certain' the predicted deficit would be reduced because the council would take action on 'specific issues'. 'Our trading accounts continue to be a drain upon the authority,' he told a cabinet meeting. 'We continue to have the problem of the cost of the internal drainage board levies. We have the issue of homelessness in particular, which is a very significant drain on our resources, and it continues to be significantly above the budgeted figure for the current year.' Internal drainage boards are public bodies managing water levels in Fenland, much of which is below sea level.The council has forecast a budget gap of £2.6m for 2025-26, based on no increase in council tax. Boden said there was a lot of uncertainty about the finances, and the council hoped to know by the end of the week how much money it would receive from central government. He said: 'We have quite a number of areas where we will have to take action – where we know we are going to need to take or are currently planning to take .' It was also undertaking 'a programme of transformation' with a view to achieving 'the same outcomes we currently have, but doing it in a more efficient and effective way
Fenland District Council Budget Deficit Council Tax Efficiency Local Government Finances
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