County council ends year £5m in the black

Positive figure despite rising care costs and other economic pressures

- Kerry Ashdown

STAFFORDSHIRE County Council has ended the latest financial year more than £5m in the black despite rising care costs and other economic pressures.

The authority has also faced greater difficulty in recruiting staff for adult social care, as well as an increase in the number of children in care during the past year.

But it has not only been able to stay within its £747m budget for 2024/25, but ended the year with a £5.3m underspend, cabinet members heard.

They noted the final outturn position for the year and agreed to contribute an unspent contingency budget into the capital reserve, with the overall underspend being added to general balances.