Despite routinely carrying out important and vital work to support their communities, local councils are facing significant funding challenges. We are carrying out a Freedom of Information request to try and ascertain the scale of the funding challenge that local councils are facing in the medium-term future. Please can you answer the following questions:

1. What is your current predicted funding gap by the end of the financial year 2023/24?
As per the 2022/23 Medium Term Financial Plan approved by Council in February this year, the revenue budget forecasts for 2023/24 and 2024/25 are effectively balanced. However, as part of the new year budget setting, we are in the process of setting the 2023/24 budget and revising the forecasts for 2024/25 and 2025/26; it is therefore possible that as the pressures faced by local government, currently around social care and the cost of living, become clearer, a budget gap may appear and widen. As Wokingham Borough receives the lowest level of central funding per head of population of any unitary council, we expect to address any gap through efficiencies and income where required, whilst maintaining services to our residents.

2. What is your current predicted cumulative funding gap by the end of the financial year 2024/25?
Please see answer to question 1.

3. Has your council estimated the costs of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions?
No.

4. How much does your council estimate reaching net zero will cost? (Please state amount and any associated timescale)
Not applicable. Wokingham Borough Council has not assessed how much it will cost to reach net zero. So far there are significant funds attached to our Climate Emergency Action Plan where budgets have been assessed for individual projects. These funds are reassessed with the Annual Progress Report which is publicly published every year in the summer after full council approval.

5. Can your council access enough funding to be able to deliver your emission reduction ambitions?
It is currently unknown if enough funding will become available to achieve local or national carbon emission reduction targets.