Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) had an overspend of £1.25 million last year, new documents have revealed.

BFC leaders approved a revenue budget for 2023/24 of around £89 million in February 2023. But throughout the year the authority warned could overspend by around £4 million – prompting them to cut costs until the predicted figure was between £1.25 and £2 million.

Finance chiefs then revealed the overspend could go down to £500,000 this February, after putting even more measures in to try and rein spending in.

Now, a figure of £1.25 million has been published ahead of an executive meeting on Tuesday, July 16.

The money was taken from BFC’s general reserves, which are funds held without any specific purpose.

The report said: “The council continues to face ongoing financial pressures and uncertainty due to delay in the introduction of a new funding system by central government.”

As well as this, the council has struggled with ‘increases in demand led pressures and the continuing impact of high inflation’.

This will be the first time that there is an overspend since being established as a unitary authority in 1998.

The report notes that it is a ‘significant improvement’ from the £4m predicted last summer, brought about by a ‘wide range of measures’ introduced across all service areas.

The overspend was particularly high in education and learning and adult social care. Within the more than £500,000 extra spent in education and learning, overspends occurred in SEND staffing and education transport.

The money spent in adult social care was due to an increase in the number of costs and clients.

Authors highlighted: “Bracknell Forest’s situation has been mirrored in its neighbouring authorities in Berkshire, all of whom are reporting overspends, some on a much larger scale.”

The overspend will be discussed at the upcoming executive meeting on Tuesday, July 16.