The article discusses a council facing significant budget pressures for 2025/26, requiring £37 million in government support to set a balanced budget. Opposition councillors criticize the leadership for not acting sooner on known financial strains, particularly in adult social care and temporary accommodation costs. The cabinet's recent announcements of emergency recovery groups have raised questions about prior oversight. Despite an increase of £20 million in the budget, leaders were unprepared for the complexity of needs arising, with projections indicating substantial additional financial pressure in the coming year.
Cllr Cawley-Harrison criticized the council leadership for not acting sooner on budget pressures, questioning why emergency financial recovery groups were only formed recently despite having access to budget data.
Cllr Carlin acknowledged that the council expected increased demand for adult social care services, conceding that they were caught off-guard by the level of complex needs.
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