The following challenges were being managed during quarter 4, 2025 to 2026.
Funding
Following the Government’s Fair Funding review, Bracknell Forest faced arguably the worst finance settlement of any upper tier authority in England.
This reduction in funding meant that a significant reliance was placed on the use of one-off funding to achieve a balanced budget, including drawing £5 million from reserves.
This is not a sustainable position. Plans are being made, including by rescoping business change and transformation activity, to find and implement significant savings during the 2026 to 2027 financial year and for future years to match spending to the level of recurring income.
Children's and Adult's services
Children’s and Adult’s services continue to experience increase in demand and recruitment challenges. Local health system pressures have also resulted in reduced funding available for both new and existing packages of care.
Delivery is being managed very closely to ensure statutory services are delivered.
Specialist school places
Managing the shortage in specialist school places, including in-borough places, remains challenging.
A lack of sufficient places has resulted in delays in placing young people and the escalation of complex, higher cost cases.
This is also impacting the ability to balance costs associated with SEND provision. However, some additional capacity has now been secured in-borough and at Bucklers Park.
Homes
New homes
Completion of new homes in line with housing trajectory is below forecast the year, reflecting the reported weakening in the housing market due to a decrease in buyer demand for new dwellings.
At the time of the report, there were 945 dwellings under construction, though it is difficult to predict the timescale for completion due to a multitude of factors beyond the control of the council.
Affordable homes
The completion of affordable homes during the year is lower than the Local Plan 4 target of 35%. This is due to permissions being granted before the current Local Plan was adopted.
As new permissions are granted under the Plan, the rate of completions of affordable homes will increase.
Recycling contamination
Recycling contamination worsened (18.7% against the 14.3% target), driven by resident behaviour.
The data will continue to be monitored closely and communications are planned across various channels to encourage correct use of the blue bins during 2026.
Land searches
Following a change in the land searches software supplier, residents have been experiencing delays to local property sales and purchases, caused through a significant data issue.
The council and its software supplier, Arcus Global, have apologised to residents and continue work to resolve the issue fully as a priority.