ST HELENS Council has confirmed it will borrow more than £83 million to help fund a three-year capital programme.
The proposed medium-term financial strategy (MTFS) 2025-2028, as well as revenue and capital budget 2025-26, were backed by the cabinet at its meeting last week.
The proposals will now need to be approved by full council at the meeting this Wednesday.
According to the MTFS 2025-28 document, the council has an “ambitious” capital programme over the period of the MTFS and is “investing significantly” in the borough, with over £231 million of schemes.
Regeneration projects
These include £141 million of regeneration projects incorporating St Helens and Earlestown town centres and a new bus station, and investment of £47 million in transport and environment including fleet replacement, highways maintenance and specific highways schemes – as well as spend of over £19 million on children and young people’s services.
It says the capital programme is financed from a number of different sources, including Government grants and third-party contributions, capital receipts, contributions from the revenue account and borrowing.
In a report to cabinet, for its meeting on Wednesday, it said the estimated value of the capital programme “exceeds” £231 million over the period 2025-2028. It also stated that, within the overall programme, the major regeneration schemes are “having to deal with significant cost pressures as these schemes are developed”.
The capital programme for 2025-26 totals £115.636 million.
The council has confirmed its debt currently totals £132.502 million.
And out of the around £231 million to fund the capital programme, for 2025-26 to 2027-28, it says £83.424 million of this will be funded through further borrowing.
Council explains borrowing
A St Helens Council spokesperson said: “Councils use borrowing as a key part of their ability to invest in major projects through capital investment as revenue – the day-to-day spending – cannot be spent on things like infrastructure and development schemes.
“Every local authority has a level of debt from borrowing as part of its financial make up.
“Council financial standings are evaluated by the level of debt as a percentage of core spending power, with our own figure at 4.0 per cent compared to the England median of 8.8 per cent.
“This shows our levels of borrowing has been far more carefully sustained which means we are in a stable financial condition and effectively not borrowing beyond our means.
“But we have and will continue to focus our borrowing on projects that invest directly in transforming our borough.
“St Helens Borough Council follows the CIPFA Code of Practice for Treasury Management, which does include the use of prudential borrowing.”
Furthermore, in the report to cabinet, for its meeting on Wednesday, it said: “As part of budget processes, an initial analysis of the staffing implications of individual savings options was undertaken, as the potential impacts upon staffing need to be understood when considering actions necessary to ensure financial sustainability of the council’s financial position.
“Detailed human resources assessments will be undertaken, as necessary, for any individual decisions required to implement previously approved saving proposals.”
It added: “This report sets out the scale of budget challenges for 2025/26 and beyond and outlines the process to meet those challenges and present a balanced budget.
individual savings options was undertaken. Detailed risk assessments will be
undertaken, as necessary, for any individual decisions required to implement
previously approved saving proposals.”
No redundancies
Asked if the council is planning to carry out redundancies, as part of savings proposals, a spokesman said: “No.”
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