A CASH-STRAPPED council is now predicting its financial woes will continue into next year - and are likely to worsen.

Monmouthshire County Council has warned of "large pressures" as it enters the budget setting process for 2023/24.

After news that the council expects an overspend of £8.8 million this year, it has now revealed that predictions indicate a significantly larger overspend in the next year.

This "unprecedented" budget shortfall is estimated to be in the region of £23 million - £15 million more than this year's shortfall.

This, one councillor has said, is likely to result in "hard decisions on service cuts".

The council say that "like all other businesses and households, we are having to dealing with many factors".

"High inflation, energy and fuel costs, and increased demand on social care all play a major part," a spokesperson said, "as does the need to keep pace with inflation through pay awards for our staff.

"The scale of the pressures experienced by the council are unprecedented."

As a result of an update of council budget modelling and assumptions "we now anticipate an unprecedented shortfall of £23 million in 2023/24".

"In offering perspective this shortfall sits against a net cost of services of £168 million," they said.

The council stressed that other local authorities across Wales are in similar positions.

"If high-cost pressures and inflation are not matched by increases in public spending, the ensuing funding gap will be large and the consequences for public services severe," a spokesperson said.

Leader of the council, Mary Ann Brocklesby said: “We are acutely aware of the devasting impact of the cost-of-living crisis on people living and working Monmouthshire, including our own staff.

"Our aim will always be to protect the most vulnerable residents in Monmouthshire, adults and children alike, despite the unprecedented challenges we now face.

"We will work in partnership with all councillors, residents, town councils and others to find ways to alleviate the worst of the impact.”

Cabinet member for resources, Cllr Rachel Garrick said: “We need to make incredibly difficult decisions on how we continue to provide services.

"Without additional funding from Welsh Government, we must consider how we will find £23 million of savings.

"To address the scale in the shortfall, it will be necessary to consider increases to revenue and reductions in cost and services.

"We need to work together with all councillors and in consultation with our residents to settle on the most palatable options for our county.

"There are no easy solutions to the current unprecedented situation in public spending; councils up and down Wales are facing hard decisions on service cuts.”