COUNCILS in Worcestershire are facing an estimated deficit of more than six million pounds in their Council Tax collection funds for last year.

Five of the county’s six district councils have reported shortfalls of almost £1million or more for how much of their Council Tax income charged in the last financial year will be collected.

The figures, released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, show Worcester City Council reported a deficit of almost £990,000 for the last financial year.

Wyre Forest District Council reported a deficit of £2 million in its financial return with Bromsgrove District Council showing a £1.9million gap.

Figures also show an estimated £1.1million deficit in Redditch Borough Council’s and £955,000 deficit in Wychavon District Council’s Council Tax collection fund.

Councils have been given until March 2024 to make up the shortfall.

End-of-year financial monitoring reports, which will be discussed by the city council’s policy and resources committee this evening, shows the authority had a budget surplus of £932,000 at the end of March - £1.3million higher than the expected £400,000 deficit from the start of the year.

The council was handed £872,000 from the Government and Worcestershire County Council and the council brought in an extra £280,000 than predicted at the end of 2020.

But the council reported a £3million deficit in its predicted income due to Covid with the money brought in from car parking fees and waste collections taking the biggest hit.

In total, more than £5.6million has been given to the council by the Government in one-off payments to cover the cost of lockdown with more than £1million used to house rough sleepers.

Temporarily housing the city’s rough sleepers during lockdown cost the council an extra £720,000, the cost of which will also be covered this year.

Business rates relief and other grants for local businesses from the Government amounted to £38million.

The Government also agreed to cover 75 per cent of the council’s lost income from the effects of Covid which resulted in the council receiving just under £2.5 million.

The policy and resources committee meets from 7pm at the Guildhall this evening.