Wokingham Borough Council risks effectively going bankrupt “in the next couple of years” if it doesn’t get its finances under control, the councillor in charge of spending has revealed.

Imogen Shepherd-DuBey – responsible for the council's finances – said that if the authority doesn’t cut back on its spending, or get more money from the government, it could face the same fate as Slough, Woking, and Windsor and Maidenhead councils.

Slough and Woking have already effectively declared bankruptcy – while Windsor and Maidenhead is on the brink.

She said: “Quite simply we haven’t got anywhere near what we used to have. Most councils are having to cut back to the statutory minimum services they have to provide. We’re a bit better than that but the grant funding from central government is not meeting our needs.”

Wokingham Borough Council has said it has to find savings or extra income of £15 million in its budget for next year.

Councillor Shepherd-DuBey said this meant cutting back on “non-statutory” council services – those it is not legally obliged to provide.

This includes cuts to public litter bins and grass cutting as well as making some staff redundant. It is also the reason for the council’s recent move to raise charges in town centre council car parks.

She said: “Cutting grass verges and in parks is not a statutory requirement, except where it blocks the sight lines on the road. Emptying litter bins isn’t either, which is why those things have been particularly targeted.”

She added: “We have ten libraries in Wokingham Borough Council – there’s a requirement to provide a library service, but not at that level.”

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Councils across the country face a squeeze on their finances due to rising costs, and due to what many say is low government funding.

Slough Borough Council effectively declared bankruptcy in 2021, and Woking Borough Council did the same in June this year. Neighbouring Windsor and Maidenhead has said it is “doing everything we can” to avoid the same fate.

Councillor Shepherd-DuBey said Wokingham Borough Council’s levels of debt were not so high as Windsor and Maidenhead’s – and that it has a “pretty good level” of general reserves – pots of money it can use to meet certain costs.

But she said: “We are squeezing for this year. If we don’t we’ll be in the same station as Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. Our general reserves are £9 million. If we go below £7 million our chief financial officer will start to say, hang on a minute.

“Our debt levels are not as bad as most areas and we have a pretty good level of reserves otherwise. It could happen in the next couple of years. Everyone is hoping there’ll be a change of government and there’s be a proper look at how councils are funded.”