THE stark cost of delivering day-to-day council services has rocketed by more than 50 per cent in the last three years, a shock report into cost pressures has revealed.
Between 2022/23 and this financial year, costs for providing statutory services - such as bin collections, street lighting, highways maintenance and non-academised schools - has climbed by £100m.
According to the report, which was discussed by Barnsley Council’s audit and governance committee on Wednesday, a number of ‘specific risks’ may impact on the council’s financial sustainability.
At a recent budget-setting meeting - which resulted in a council tax hike of 4.99 per cent - it was warned £34m is needed just to maintain those ‘ordinary’ services.
A raft of measures were proposed to save cash such as dimming street lighting, increasing the price of staff parking, removing mobile phone provisions for employees and councillors and ceasing the publication of its Spotlight magazine.
The package - which is part of the council’s annual budget - will save £13m, adding to the £30m sum already saved in the last three years.
“The government announced its intention to undertake a public sector spending review in June 2025,” the report said.
“Alongside this, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) are undertaking long-awaited reforms to the local government finance system.
“The council needs to ensure it is best placed to respond to these two fundamental reviews, the first part of this being prepared to respond to government consultation during the spring.”
The bleak picture comes just weeks after the council announced it had been successful in obtaining £8m from the government’s so-called Recovery Grant initiative, which channels cash to worst-hit local authorities.
The extra money allowed the council to make no cuts to services and subsequently no job losses.
“This has provided an increase in funding and this, combined with the ongoing efficiency programme, has enabled the council to set a balanced budget for 2025/26 whilst releasing some resources,” it added.
“In order to ensure that the council’s financial strategy remains robust and sustainable - considering the wider reforms - an in-year budget and spending review is to be undertaken during 2025 that permanently realigns recurrent income and expenditure over the longer term.
“Total cost pressures for 2025/26 stand at £34m - this is just to maintain services at current levels and are included within the council’s revised net budget of £282m.
“Although the 2025/26 budget position is more positive than at any time since the start of austerity, the future position remains uncertain.”
Council leader Sir Steve Houghton said: “As chair of the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (SIGOMA), I’ve been urging the government to take notice of the fundamental issues with local funding and pushing for changes to the system.( “Details such as the recovery grant and commitment to resetting the business rate system is a promising signal that the new government intends to make the system fairer and more sustainable.
“Barnsley people deserve to live good lives in a place of possibilities - our focus is to deliver excellent services while investing in the borough, and we’re committed to making this happen.”(
