Council Planning Ahead for Budget Challenges

Serious budget challenges will mean more difficult decisions for Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The Council is updating members of its Executive Board on the latest revenue and capital budget monitoring position at the end of Quarter 1, 2022/23 next week (Thursday, September 8).

There is an expected budget shortfall of £8.1m. The main reasons are national issues such as impact of Covid-19, steep rises in cost of living and inflation and more demand for social care services for both children and adults.

There are plans to ask residents for their views on options to help inform difficult decisions needed ahead of the Council’s setting a balanced budget in early 2023. Immediate action is likely to include a putting a major project to improve household waste services on hold.

Councillor Quesir Mahmood, Deputy Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

The cost of living crisis is really concerning us all and rising costs mean putting some planned investment on hold is the right thing to do. Commercial income has reduced in the same way it has for our local businesses.

There is a real determination to keep moving ahead with our ambitious plans for the borough, we have a lot to look forward to. Given the scale of what we are facing, we can only deliver all the services people want and need if funding from Government is fair. We are waiting to hear what response the Government will make to this national position affecting Councils.