Plans to improve Gloucester City Council's dire finances are already having an impact, the council says, with its latest accounts statement being completed to deadline for the first time since 2021.
The council revealed in December 2025 that it had overspent by millions every year since a cyber attack in December 2021 – including by £4.3 million in 2024/25 – which had caused delays of several years to the publication of its accounts.
It forced the authority to seek £15.5 million of exceptional financial support from the government, to cover day-to-day costs while it implements a recovery plan.
Reporting an overspend of £1.125 million for 2025/26, the council says it is making 'strong progress' with the plan, labelling the completion of its statement of accounts within the statutory timeframe 'a significant step forward' in its financial management and reporting.
Recovery measures saw some staff in the council's culture and community engagement teams lose their jobs at the start of the year, while some of the city's cultural venues have also been impacted, including the closure of the much-loved Blackfriars Priory this month.
And the council's deputy leader, Declan Wilson, says their could be more 'difficult decisions' ahead to enable the council to continue its recovery.
He said: 'We have taken clear and determined action to address the challenges we faced since they came to light last summer, and it is encouraging to see real progress being made in the last few months.
'Completing our accounts on time is a significant milestone and shows that the improvements we’ve put in place are working. There is still more to do, and we still have some difficult decisions to make ahead, but we now have stronger systems, better oversight and a clearer understanding of our finances.
'That puts us in a far better position to continue our recovery and deliver for the people of Gloucester.'
The council says new budget arrangements, including monthly reviews with dedicated finance officers, are already making a difference, and there are 'positive signs' across services, with increased enforcement and HMO registrations leading to additional income from private sector housing.
While its new Forum car park is seeing growing use, it says work is ongoing to manage the rising costs of maintenance and the day-to-day running of its car parks, to 'ensure the service remains sustainable'.
It says an overspend in waste, recycling and streetcare largely reflected older budget assumptions which have now been corrected, with new charges for replacement bins along with bulky waste and garden waste boosting income.
It also says that additional corporate costs for specialist advice and audit work during the year were 'important steps to strengthen financial oversight and ensure the council is operating on a sound footing'.
