Mayor addresses council overspend forecast of £4.5m

THE mayor of Middlesbrough has responded to the council's own forecast of an overspend at the end of 2025/26.

- By DANIEL HODGSON

Speaking at a public meeting last Wednesday, Labour Mayor Chris Cooke said that he was confident that the department currently predicted to have the biggest overspend - children’s care - would finish the year within budget. The mayor took issue with reporting that made it appear like the money has already been spent, when such council updates are predictions.

Earlier this week, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reported that the council was forecasting an overspend of nearly £4.5m.

At the same time in the previous financial year (in the end of quarter one report), the prediction was for a smaller overspend of £3.7m, which ended up being an underspend of over £2m, when figures were finalised, following the conclusion of 2024/25.

The council's quarter one prediction of a near £4.5m overspend, come the end of 2025/26, is in the event that no further action is taken.