Swindon Borough Council Faces £31 Million Budget Deficit Next Year

Swindon Borough Council needs to identify £31 million in savings to achieve a balanced budget for the forthcoming year. While council officials have already pinpointed £12 million in reductions, a financial gap of approximately £19 million remains. Notwithstanding this anticipated deficit, the council’s cabinet member for finance has defended the allocation of £35 million towards a new entertainment facility. Kevin Small informed the BBC, stating: “Swindon needs to regenerate and regeneration of Swindon will have its benefits.” The council might obtain supplementary funding through a government settlement that exceeds current expectations, with an announcement anticipated on 16 December. Chancellor Rachel Reeves previously declared increased funding for local authorities in the autumn budget, designated to support social care, homelessness, and families with special educational needs and disabilities. Small commented, “I’m hopeful that we will see an improvement that might ease the gap a little.” Despite the financial constraints it faces, the council maintains its commitment to constructing a new “state of the art” performance venue. The projected construction cost is slightly under £35 million, though this figure could be subject to revision upon the submission of a planning application. Small emphasized the venue’s significance for Swindon, stating: “We will then be able to regenerate the town centre which will have more residential properties which will increase our council tax base.” He added, “But it is also about… making Swindon a better place to live.” Small attributed the council’s financial predicament to 14 years of austerity measures, noting that in 2013, 45% of its funding originated from central government, a figure that has now decreased to merely 4%. The council’s proposed budget will suggest a 4.99% increase in council tax, which represents the maximum permissible under government regulations and matches the increase applied over the past three years, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Furthermore, the council intends to restructure certain services, including children’s services, in an effort to cut expenditures. Small explained, “It’s part of a transformation programme which will be slow in its starting but will then pick up speed and we will see the benefits of that over the next two or three years.” The council is also evaluating the possibility of requesting “Exceptional Financial Support” from the government, a measure that would permit it to sell assets or use them as collateral for borrowing to finance its operational expenses.