Council properties could be sold off to help plug a big hole in finances, it has been suggested.

Officers at Bracknell Forest Council have said they will ask council leaders to give backing to their plans at a meeting next month. It comes after council leader Mary Temperton warned of difficult choices ahead for council spending.

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

Bracknell Forest Council faces an overspend of up to £3 million by the end of this financial year, in April 2024. That’s according to a report set to be discussed by its leading group of councillors – the executive committee – next Tuesday, October 17.

READ MORE: Council faces 'hard decisions' says leader Mary Temperton

This is a better position than senior council staff had feared last month – when they said the council faced an overspend of £4.2 million.

Since then, the team has managed to cut that back to £3 million.

The authority managed this by asking council departments to avoid new costs that are not essential to frontline services, and by closely monitoring the highest areas of spending. Staff also tried to make savings in non-staffing budgets and hold back new recruitment.

But – as the council looks to set next year’s budget – officers will ask leaders to approve a plan to make up funding by selling some council assets.

Executive councillors will be asked to support the proposals at another meeting in November, which will then have to be put to all councillors at a full council meeting.