Rotherham Council to spend £3m less than expected, new report finds
The council was expected to overspend £3.4 million
Rotherham Council’s predicted overspend for the last financial year is expected to be over £3 million less than expected.
The council cabinet was originally told in February that Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council was expected to overspend by £3.4 million between April 2025 and March 2026.
In a new financial report for June 2026, an update shows that the council is now only projected to have overspent by £300,000.
The expected overspend of £3.4 million was to be funded from reserve money as part of the budgeting approved by the cabinet, although they also expressed their intention to reduce the need to call on reserves.
Council reserves are savings set aside by local authorities to cover unexpected emergencies and planned future projects.
The improvement is a result of lower than expected spending in various council services, such as children’s social care placements, and increased income in culture, sport and tourism, with the Country Park Cafes and Theatres.
The report on the financial performance of the council is to be put in front of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board in council on June 3, 2026.
A full report will be submitted to the council in July.