THE risk of a spending ban is becoming ‘less likely’ said the council leader as Windsor and Maidenhead Council is allocated coronavirus relief funds from government.

Councillor Andrew Johnson (Conservative: Hurley and Walthams), the leader of the council, said the extra £4,149,176 they received from government ‘strengthens’ the authority’s financial position and the likelihood of a section 114 – where no new expenditure is permitted except for safeguarding vulnerable people and statutory services – is ‘declining’.

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The extra £4.1 million was called ‘helpful’ by councillor Johnson. It will go into the council’s general fund to relieve them of the considerable loss of income from parking revenue, the closure of the leisure centre, etc. due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) received nearly £3 million from the first tranche of government funds – totalling around £7.1 million – but the council leader said he will be pressing for more as it was revealed Covid-19 will put an estimate £14 million dent into RBWM’s finances.

Councillor Johnson said: “This money undoubtably buys us time and makes a section 114 a lot less likely. We will undoubtably probably use a significant chunk of our reserves, but what we want is for the government  to give us a little bit more money which is the key conversation we are having with them.

“If that money isn’t forthcoming, then it is highly likely we will have to use a significant portion or, if not, all of our reserves which is something we obviously don’t want to do.”

He also revealed that it’s highly likely the council will have approximately £7.9 million in its reserves which is £700,000 better off that was in the budget report – but this has yet to be verified and does not take in the cost of Covid-19.

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Independent councillor Lynne Jones (Old Windsor) welcomed the new government funds but fears a section 114 could still be issued at the end of the financial year.

She said: “It puts it off (s114) and the reason it puts it off because the government hasn’t said that it’s not going to give us any more money.

“The £14 million was the extra costs of Covid-19 plus the savings we were going to make anyway, so it’s all intertwined – but if  the government says ‘that’s your lot’ then I would say the council will have to issue a section 114.

“We were looking at a s114 anyway at the end of this year most probably that’s what I was expecting – but this (coronavirus) has put us over the edge.

“We were given £7.1 million from the government. Great – that’s going to keep us going – but that’s not the solution.”