There is “massive pressure” on Buckinghamshire Council’s budget for 2024/25, the Council Leader has admitted.

Martin Tett said the growing costs of adult social care and other key services will squeeze funding for areas such as the visitor economy.

The Leader told the Finance & Resources Select Committee: “The overall picture is going to be incredibly challenging this year in terms of the budget.

“What the Cabinet will do is look at the opportunities there are available and will try and identify those areas which are most practical to deliver.”

The update comes as local councils in England, Scotland and Wales face a £3.5bn collective hole in their finances for the coming year.

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The figure comes from new research by UNISON, which warns that cash-strapped councils may have to sell off buildings and slash services.

A funding gap list compiled by the union puts Birmingham City Council top with a £164m shortfall, and Thurrock Council second with a £157m, both of which recently declared themselves effectively bankrupt.

Meanwhile, Bucks Council does not have a funding gap, according to the research, which claims all councils will feel the pinch after a decade of funding cuts.

Cllr Tett acknowledged the pressures faced over the 2024/25 budget, a draft version of which will be published in late 2023 before being finalised and agreed in February 2024.

He said: “There is a very significant financial problem that we and virtually every other council of a similar size and status has.

“There is massive pressure on the Council in terms of home-to-school transport, temporary accommodation, children’s services, adult social care in particular, and energy costs.

“Most of those are statutory services that we have to provide and therefore there is very little opportunity for savings in those areas.

“They are in fact growing in demand, complexity and cost and that puts enormous pressure on the other areas.”

The Leader also hinted at the Council’s funding priorities for the coming year as he responded to Cllr Michael Bracken’s question about Buckinghamshire’s visitor economy strategy.

Cllr Tett said: “Let me just be very frank… I am the wet blanket on this topic because I know Committee members got very excited about this issue and it is potentially very exciting.

“But in the light of our overall financial situation, I have to be pretty blunt that it is a low priority vis-à-vis child sexual exploitation, care for elderly adults or adults of working age with educational needs.

“There are a whole variety of Buckinghamshire Council’s responsibilities that are currently a higher priority than new investment into the visitor economy.”

Council tax covers 81 per cent of the more than 700 different services provided by Bucks Council, while the rest of the budget is funded by Business Rates (13 per cent), the New Homes Bonus (1 per cent) and other un-ringfenced grants (5 per cent).

There is currently a consultation open for people to comment on what they think should be the Council’s main priorities in the budget for next year.

Respondents must submit a printed or online form by midnight on Sunday, October 15, 2023. Full details here: https://yourvoicebucks.citizenspace.com/corporate-services/budget-2024-25/