Doncaster Council estimated to spend £7m more than budgeted
Financial challenges in adult social care and waste continue to put pressure on Doncaster’s finances
The City of Doncaster Council is projecting to spend £7million more than budgeted at the end of this financial year, Mayor Ros Jones’ cabinet has been told.
Financial challenges in adult social care and waste continue to put pressure on Doncaster’s revenue budget, with the overspend projection increasing by nearly £1m in a month.
This latest financial update comes after an early report at the cabinet meeting in August 2026.
It was shared with cabinet just two months into the new financial year, having been brought forward due the “emergence of a number of financial pressures” amid a projected overspend of £6.2m.
Council directors were urged to ‘actively identify opportunities to reduce expenditure’.
The September 2026 update projects adult social care to overspend by £3.2m, ‘mainly due to higher than budgeted demand for residential care, short-stay provision and homecare’, the report said.
Place, the council directorate responsible for environmental service such as highways, bin collections and more, has a £2.3m projected overspend, of which £1.3m is attributed to waste services.
Mayor Jones said: “The 2026/27 projected outturn position will continue to be closely monitored and reported throughout the financial year, with further updates brought to cabinet as part of the Council’s regular budget monitoring arrangements.”
She added that the council would not yet apply £5.6m it holds in contingency budgets.
Using these funds would reduce the projected overspend to just £1.4m, but the Mayor said doing so would put the authority in a ‘challenging financial position’ early in the year, reducing flexibility if further challenges arise later in the year.
“Performance wise, economic growth and regeneration remain key strengths, with Gateway One progressing on schedule, continued activity to support the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, and affordable housing delivery exceeding target,” Mayor Jones said.
She added: “Our communities continue to benefit from strong operational performance.
“Crime levels are reducing, community safety arrangements have been strengthened, and significant environmental progress has been made through the Biosphere bid and Warm Homes investment programme.”
Highway maintenance is exceeding performance targets and adult social care support and outcomes for residents ‘continues to improve’, cabinet heard.
Councillor Sue Farmer, cabinet member for children, young people and families, expressed her delight at hearing there was a reduction in the number of children in care over Q1.
The August and September reports suggest emerging financial pressures this year, on top of a number of additional, challenging savings requirements implemented by the Reform UK majority in February, have created a “challenging financial outlook”.
However, sources continue to reassure journalists that the authority is not facing a Section 114 notice – when a council effectively declares bankruptcy.