Carmarthenshire council saves cash
An underspend is forecast for Carmarthenshire’s end of year budget due to better than expected efficiency savings.
The net revenue budget is expected to show a plus figure of £470,000, despite huge pressures in certain areas.
However, councillors are warning that harder times are ahead and it will become increasingly difficult to balance the books.
Every department has looked for savings, year on year, for the past few years which has resulted in millions of pounds in efficiency gains.
But pressures have continued to build in certain departments with social care in particular experiencing increasing demand.
The department is predicting an overspend of £1.288 million including £614,000 in home care; increased residential placements costing £207,000; increased packages in Direct Payments totalling £53,000 and increased demand for adaptations and equipment of £57,000.
Additional packages of £426,000 have been invested in residential care; £99,000 in community day services, £195,000 in respite care and £254,000 in group homes/supported living.
Homelessness costs are also predicted to rise with an end of year increase of £69,000.
The economic downturn continues to affect areas such development and building control, and adoption of non-county roads with reduced applications in all and an estimated reduction of £800,000 income, and in corporate property with £173,000 less rental due to vacant properties.
Other departments such as education and regeneration and leisure are also experiencing budget pressures.
Resources executive board member Cllr Wyn Evans said: “There is no doubt that had we not been continuing to make efficiency savings throughout the year, the end of year budget would have told a very different story.
“We are continuing to face huge pressures in certain areas, particularly social care, and it will be increasingly difficult in the coming years to balance the books."
The net revenue budget is expected to show a plus figure of £470,000, despite huge pressures in certain areas.
However, councillors are warning that harder times are ahead and it will become increasingly difficult to balance the books.
Every department has looked for savings, year on year, for the past few years which has resulted in millions of pounds in efficiency gains.
But pressures have continued to build in certain departments with social care in particular experiencing increasing demand.
The department is predicting an overspend of £1.288 million including £614,000 in home care; increased residential placements costing £207,000; increased packages in Direct Payments totalling £53,000 and increased demand for adaptations and equipment of £57,000.
Additional packages of £426,000 have been invested in residential care; £99,000 in community day services, £195,000 in respite care and £254,000 in group homes/supported living.
Homelessness costs are also predicted to rise with an end of year increase of £69,000.
The economic downturn continues to affect areas such development and building control, and adoption of non-county roads with reduced applications in all and an estimated reduction of £800,000 income, and in corporate property with £173,000 less rental due to vacant properties.
Other departments such as education and regeneration and leisure are also experiencing budget pressures.
Resources executive board member Cllr Wyn Evans said: “There is no doubt that had we not been continuing to make efficiency savings throughout the year, the end of year budget would have told a very different story.
“We are continuing to face huge pressures in certain areas, particularly social care, and it will be increasingly difficult in the coming years to balance the books."
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