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Use of Calderdale Council’s sports services and car parks is only back to around three quarters of pre-Covid levels – and is among factors hitting the authority’s budget, a report has revealed

Revenues brought in by sports services are only back to 74 per cent of budget compared to 99 per cent pre-Covid, and closure of leisure centres including Halifax’s North Bridge complex, with replacement build now on ice due to inflationary costs, will impact on money which can be brought in.

Income from parking is only at 73 per cent against budget compared to 91 per cent before the pandemic, which saw more people starting to work from home.

Calderdale Council Cabinet members will consider a revenue budget position update when they meet on November 14.

A view of Cow Green Car Park, Halifax. A report to the Calderdale Council's Cabinet says use of the authority's car parks is still not yet back to pre-Covid levels.

A report to the meeting shows overspends are reducing, with the help of measures including directorate financial controls and some use of limited reserves, from £12.6 million to around £3.5 million.

Councillors are told further measures will be taken to balance the budget by the end of this council year in spring 2023.

Of the £12.6 million overspend before measures are taken into account, the largest is £4.4 million against budget in the council’s Public Services portfolio.

Other big cost pressures across other directorates remain all-age disability care packages, external residential places necessary for some looked-after children, greatly increased costs of special needs transport and increased energy costs – the cost of living crisis also hitting local authority finances.

North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax, is now shut and plans to redevelop the site for a new sports centre and swimming pool have been put on hold.

Cabinet will be asked to approve earmarking a £208,000 refund – from HM Courts and Tribunals Service for liability orders – for the Welfare Assistance budget to provide support to people during the Cost of Living Crisis.

Councillors will also be asked to approve the council’s three-year capital programme for 2022-2025, the £212.8 million budget covering a range of projects from refurbishing arson-damaged Ash Green School at Mixenden to delivering highways schemes.

Most of this money comes from grants and other sources including Towns Fund awards, but £34.6 million will have to come from prudential borrowing.

Councils can borrow at special rates, but nevertheless rapidly increasing interest rates are one of the reasons why senior councillors took the decision to put the new Halifax leisure centre project on hold.

Budget concerns highlighted as use of council sports services and car parks in Calderdale still well short of pre-Covid levels