Lambeth council report lays out scale of huge budget challenge – South London News

Lambeth Council has today published a report which sets out the scale of the financial challenge it faces at the moment continued pressure on local government finances.

According to the report, the council could need to save £69.9m by 2028, including a £29.3m savings target for next year.

Savings must be found in the face of increasing demand for council services, increased service costs due to inflation and the fallout from government austerity policies.

The local authority said it was also fighting the national one the cost of living crisisthe high cost of housing and lack of affordable housing.

Lambeth has already had to find savings of almost £30m this financial year by introducing measures including bringing leisure services back in-house and changing fees and charges.

Councilor David Amos, Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We face an incredibly difficult challenge in setting a balanced budget because of the amount of savings we need to find.

“We will continue to do everything we can to protect these services while we look for new ways to be more efficient, make additional savings and continue our revenue generation efforts.

“This is a challenge that is getting harder and harder because we have been facing this challenge for an ongoing period.”

Cllr Amos said the council was “determined” to work with the new Labor government to tackle the challenges facing public services.

He said: “Councils in England face a funding shortfall of more than £6 billion over the next two years.

“I am optimistic that the new government is committed to measures that will improve the outlook for the country and which in turn will improve the situation for frontline services like Lambeth council.”

The ‘July Financial Planning and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024/25 to 2028/29’ will be considered by Lambeth council’s Cabinet on 22 July.

Visit moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk to read the full report.

Pictured above: Lambeth Council’s town hall in Brixton (Image: Robert Firth)

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