No cuts to public services will be made despite spiraling inflation, Bracknell Forest Council has pledged.

Executive director of resources at Bracknell Forest Council, Stuart McKellar, has assured residents that any actions to alleviate the pressures “do not include cutting services or abandoning any regeneration projects”.   

Inflation and increasing demand for services could leave councils with a £900m financial shortfall next year, the District Councils’ Network (DCN) has warned. 

Mr Mckellar recongised that local authorities up and down the county are “facing challenges” balancing their budgets and noted that Bracknell is “no different”. 

READ MORE: Bracknell MP responds to PM's tax cut U-turn

“A report setting out the scale of the financial pressures the council is currently facing due to inflation and service demand will go to the decision-making Executive in mid-October,” he added. 

A recent survey conducted by DCN found that 70 per cent of councils that responded are contemplating cutting back on leisure services, 66 per cent are considering cuts to community support and 37 per cent are looking at scaling back welfare support. 

DCN finance spokesperson Sharon Taylor said that, alongside the pressures caused by rising costs, the cost-of-living-crisis is fueling demand for services which is creating “a perfect storm”. 

“We call on Government to work with us to address the budget pressures so that we can continue supporting our communities through the cost-of-living crisis and beyond,” she added. 

READ MORE: Thames Water tank falls into sinkhole forcing school to close and traffic to be diverted

Town centre regeneration projects could also be at risk. The DCN notes that rising construction costs – by as much as 40 per cent in some instances – make them too expensive. 

The opening of one of the council’s flagship town centre projects, a leisure and shopping quarter called the Deck, has already been pushed back multiple times after delays in beginning the development stage.   

Executive Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Cllr Marc Brunel-Walker, said this was in part due to “wider macro-economic conditions”, particularly construction price inflation.   

Mr McKellar said the council “regularly review” the budget situation and determine what actions may be needed “to mitigate” rising inflationary costs. 

READ MORE: Calls for general election from hundreds of Bracknell residents

Next month’s report will “set out the actions proposed to relieve pressure” on the budget. 

Councils have seen budgets cut by central government over the last few years, leaving them overly reliant on income from council tax, parking charges and leisure centre fees. In many cases, these were depleted during the pandemic and have not recovered. 

The Local Government Association warned that some councils could be forced into bankruptcy due to growing inflation if no further government support is provided.