Council leader says Swansea on track for balanced budget despite £1.3m overspend

Cabinet members were told the council’s £648m budget is being tightly managed at a time of soaring demand for social care, home‑to‑school transport and homelessness support.

Cllr Stewart said the financial picture is “better than in previous years” thanks to careful management across the organisation.

He said:

“Like other councils, our main pressures are in social services where demand for care and support continues to rise and in areas such as home‑to‑school transport and tackling the homelessness crisis.

At this time of year, despite the challenges, the council remains committed to delivering on its promise to find a bed for all homeless people who need one.”

Underspends in other departments, including Education and Finance, are helping to offset the pressures.

Cabinet also heard that of the £13.97m in savings agreed for 2025/26, a remarkable 94% are forecast to be achieved — a milestone officials say reflects the “commitment and creativity” of staff in finding new ways to work more efficiently.

Alongside balancing the books, the council says it’s continuing to invest in Swansea’s future. More than £52m has already been spent on capital projects this year, ranging from school improvements and city centre regeneration to highways upgrades and housing.

Related stories

Swansea’s future mapped out
Draft placemaking plan outlines new transport hub, market revamp and cultural quarter across five zones.

All the exciting plans for Swansea in 2025
From Castle Square to the city centre, regeneration projects form part of Swansea’s £1bn transformation.

Business leader backs city’s regeneration
Praise for Swansea’s £1bn investment drive and its impact on growth and confidence.

Urban Splash appointed to lead £750m regeneration
Award-winning firm signs 20-year deal to transform key city centre and waterfront sites.

Council-backed scheme boosts business growth
New openings and refurbishments across Swansea city centre driven by council funding programme.

#balancedBudget #Budget #CllrRobStewart #councilBudget #overspend #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil

I’m not entirely sure Dartford council knows how this tech stuff works

There was a recent story in the local online news about a council using AI to stop fly-tipping.

The article talks a good game about how WasteWatch scheme reduced fly-tipping. I notice that they don’t actually say how this is done because I don’t think they know. It seems they think AI magic happened or something.

Dartford council had cameras installed at two fly-tipping spots and paid (I have no doubt) a lot to have this come with AI for some reason. Do they know they get the same deterrent effect and enforcement evidence with boring regular CCTV?

What do they think the AI does? Go over to the fly-tipper and tell them not to be so naughty, perhaps.

The fly-tipping was reduced because there were cameras there. That’s how cameras work. You put them where people break the law a lot, and then people see the cameras and make a better choice. If they don’t, the police can look at the footage and use it to track down the lawbreaker and then arrest them.

You don’t even need the cameras. Empty camera shells are effective at reducing crime to almost the same degree. And I bet they’re cheaper too.

What amazing law-enforcement breakthrough has a bit of AI added to the process, exactly? If you say facial recognition, you do know we’ve had that for so long that we have a name for that technology. Calling it AI sounds more like PR than actual useful product.

#AIBarmy #crime #overspend #ThatIsNotHowTheTechWorks #AI

#letsroll

⚄ ⚄ ⚅ ⚁ ⚀→#sprinkler
⚂ ⚀ ⚁ ⚃ ⚃→#flyable
⚃ ⚂ ⚂ ⚀ ⚄→#overspend
⚄ ⚁ ⚂ ⚀ ⚃→#risotto
⚃ ⚂ ⚀ ⚃ ⚁→#overbuilt
⚁ ⚁ ⚂ ⚅ ⚂→#dedicate

sprinkler-flyable-overspend-risotto-overbuilt-dedicate

Roll your own @ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/07/new-wordlists-random-passphrases

#letsroll

⚄ ⚃ ⚅ ⚂ ⚄→#sleep
⚁ ⚃ ⚀ ⚁ ⚀→#dotted
⚄ ⚁ ⚃ ⚂ ⚄→#rubbed
⚀ ⚄ ⚄ ⚄ ⚃→#chosen
⚅ ⚂ ⚀ ⚃ ⚅→#tux
⚃ ⚂ ⚂ ⚀ ⚄→#overspend

sleep-dotted-rubbed-chosen-tux-overspend

Roll your own @ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/07/new-wordlists-random-passphrases

#letsroll

⚂ ⚁ ⚁ ⚃ ⚀→#giggling
⚃ ⚄ ⚂ ⚁ ⚅→#previous
⚃ ⚂ ⚂ ⚀ ⚄→#overspend
⚀ ⚀ ⚁ ⚀ ⚁→#acquaint
⚄ ⚂ ⚂ ⚅ ⚄→#scrutiny
⚅ ⚃ ⚄ ⚁ ⚄→#unshaved

giggling-previous-overspend-acquaint-scrutiny-unshaved

Roll your own @ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/07/new-wordlists-random-passphrases

#letsroll

⚅ ⚅ ⚁ ⚅ ⚅→#widely
⚃ ⚂ ⚀ ⚃ ⚂→#overcast
⚃ ⚂ ⚂ ⚀ ⚄→#overspend
⚃ ⚄ ⚁ ⚄ ⚃→#prescribe
⚃ ⚄ ⚅ ⚀ ⚁→#prozac
⚅ ⚄ ⚂ ⚀ ⚄→#urgent

widely-overcast-overspend-prescribe-prozac-urgent

Roll your own @ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/07/new-wordlists-random-passphrases

#letsroll

⚁ ⚁ ⚁ ⚃ ⚀→#dayroom
⚃ ⚂ ⚂ ⚀ ⚄→#overspend
⚃ ⚃ ⚄ ⚄ ⚂→#poise
⚅ ⚀ ⚃ ⚄ ⚀→#swinger
⚃ ⚁ ⚂ ⚁ ⚄→#obligate
⚀ ⚅ ⚄ ⚁ ⚅→#confess

dayroom-overspend-poise-swinger-obligate-confess

Roll your own @ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/07/new-wordlists-random-passphrases

#letsroll

⚁ ⚁ ⚂ ⚀ ⚅→#decal
⚃ ⚂ ⚂ ⚀ ⚄→#overspend
⚂ ⚁ ⚄ ⚀ ⚃→#gracious
⚁ ⚂ ⚁ ⚅ ⚄→#diminish
⚂ ⚄ ⚂ ⚅ ⚀→#kilowatt
⚅ ⚃ ⚅ ⚁ ⚁→#untagged

decal-overspend-gracious-diminish-kilowatt-untagged

Roll your own @ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/07/new-wordlists-random-passphrases

#letsroll

⚃ ⚂ ⚂ ⚀ ⚄→#overspend
⚂ ⚁ ⚂ ⚁ ⚅→#gleeful
⚁ ⚂ ⚁ ⚄ ⚀→#diffuser
⚃ ⚀ ⚃ ⚀ ⚀→#most
⚄ ⚅ ⚃ ⚂ ⚀→#stooge
⚃ ⚄ ⚂ ⚂ ⚄→#primal

overspend-gleeful-diffuser-most-stooge-primal

Roll your own @ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/07/new-wordlists-random-passphrases

#letsroll

⚃ ⚂ ⚂ ⚀ ⚄→#overspend
⚁ ⚄ ⚀ ⚅ ⚄→#emergency
⚅ ⚄ ⚂ ⚅ ⚀→#vagueness
⚄ ⚃ ⚄ ⚂ ⚀→#skimmed
⚁ ⚃ ⚄ ⚄ ⚃→#economist
⚄ ⚀ ⚁ ⚃ ⚅→#reliant

overspend-emergency-vagueness-skimmed-economist-reliant

Roll your own @ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/07/new-wordlists-random-passphrases