Brighton & Hove: Council cuts could be reduced by £510,000

Brighton & Hove City has published revised proposals for it's 2024/25 budget

A council could offer a "lifeline" to key services following a budget injection of £510,000, according to a council leader.

If agreed, Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) said the extra finances would be spent on areas such as childcare, youth homeless prevention and support with the cost of living crisis.

The proposal will be debated by councillors on 22 February.

The extra finances come from the final local government financial settlement.

In September, BHCC said it needed to make cuts of £70m to avoid becoming effectively bankrupt.

Last week, the authority said it was expecting to "virtually break even" by the end of the financial year.

Council leader Bella Sankey said: "Although paltry compared to the millions still missing from local government finance, we're pleased to have this last minute extra money that, if agreed, will allow us to provide a lifeline to a number of vital services."

She said the authority had had to make some "very tough decisions" but was "now able to propose some financial relief to several important organisations and services while delivering a balanced budget and avoiding bankruptcy".

The funds were unallocated in the original budget proposals, because the final local government settlement was not known until 5 February.

Some of the funding allocation includes:

• £100,000 one-off funding for the city's Youth Advice Centre to support homeless prevention

• £13,000 to maintain childcare at Brighton Unemployed Centre and Oasis Creche

• £40,000 to retain a Youth Led Grants program, with a focus on disadvantaged groups

• £50,000 to the council's Supported Employment Service, so equivalent funds can be released back to Shared Prosperity Funding for groups to bid for

• More than £300,000 held as a contingency to mitigate the cost of living crisis and potential loss/reduction of the Household Support Fund

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].