Cumberland Council predicts £29m overspend amid growing costs

The escalating costs are being attributed to the increasing demands within adult and children's care services, the council said

A council says it is facing serious financial problems forecasting an overspend of almost £29m.

Cumberland Council said the growing demand for care services and increasing number of children going into care was pushing up costs.

Officials said they had identified savings and an expected payment by government would reduce the deficit.

However, a spokesman said the council would need to use £17.5m of reserves to balance the books.

Ahead of the council's executive meeting on 3 October, the authority said its financial situation was "challenging," and it had similar concerns shared by many councils "struggling with unsustainable budgets and growing demand on services".

'More with less'

The escalating costs are mainly attributed to the increasing and ongoing demands within adult and children's care services, the spokesman said.

Labour councillor Barbara Cannon, the council's executive member for financial planning and assets, said: "The combination of years of funding cuts from central government, rising costs, and surging service demand has created a formidable challenge for local authorities like ours.

"We are constantly pressed to do more with less.

"Our primary goal is to ensure every taxpayer's pound is spent wisely to deliver essential services across Cumberland."