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Bristol City Council needs to find £31m to balance books

LDRS Bristol City CouncilLDRS
Some services will have to be cut and the public will be consulted about which ones, the mayor has warned

Inflation and rising social care demand could leave Bristol City Council £31m short next year to balance its books.

Mayor Marvin Rees warned there were some "things we won't be able to continue to do", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Rising demand for care homes is adding to the council's budgetary pressures.

Details of the financial pressures have been shared ahead of a cabinet meeting on 4 October and the public will be consulted on the possible cuts soon.

Mr Rees said: "In some core services we will need to change the way we do things to focus our attention on those who need support most.

"There are also some other things we won't be able to continue to do, and, in many cases, we will have further conversations with our partners on how the city can, collectively, support those services, actions, and activities we can no longer sustain."

'Council's not immune'

Council bosses are already preparing for next year's budget - which will be signed off in February- a few weeks before the financial year begins in April.

Labour councillor Craig Cheney, deputy mayor for finance, said: "Households, businesses and charities are feeling the pressure of rising costs and unfortunately the council and city economy are not immune from these pressures.

"In the absence of Westminster reversing more than a decade of austerity towards local government, we're left with little option but to hone down our spending and in many cases bring forward the changes we expected to make in future years to make immediate savings."

Next year finance chiefs forecast the council will need to spend £467m in its general fund, but will receive funding of £436m.

The funding gap is expected to grow in the next five years, peaking at £37.5m in 2027.

Mr Cheney said: "We're not approaching this from a standing start and have been forecasting the need to reduce the amount the council delivers since 2018.

"We'll soon publish our proposals for finding the savings and income needed to balance the budget, and encourage all in the city to engage with this challenge, so our final plan is fully informed."