Social Value Ideas for St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council

£6m Parkside highway mitigation

The Parkside Phase 2 approval secures a substantial off-site highways contribution to fund junction upgrades in Warrington. Officers said the package would be secured through the legal agreement and i…

“A mitigation package of approximately 6 million is to be secured by section 106 contributions”

£1.2m resurfacing package

Alongside the wider highways programme, the council said contracts worth around £1.2m would be awarded for 17 carriageway resurfacing schemes across the borough. This is a direct road maintenance proc…

“contracts worth approximately 1 .2 million pounds awarded to deliver a package of 17 key carriageway resurfacing schemes across all wards in the borou…”

£17m Highways Investment Plan

A major £17m highways programme was brought forward for the next financial year, covering maintenance, active travel, drainage and flood mitigation, bridges, lighting and project development. The prog…

“it represents one of the most substantial single year investments in our highway network in recent years ... a £17 million investment in highways main…”

£17m highways programme approved

Cabinet approved a large highways capital and revenue programme for 2026-27 covering maintenance, active travel, drainage, flood mitigation, bridges, lighting and strategic project development. This s…

“last week cabinet approved the highways capital and revenue programme for 2026 -27 which will see more than 17 million pounds ploughed into road impro…”

£2.4m SEND contract extension

Cabinet approved a retrospective eight-month extension and spot-contract award to the current SEND transport provider to avoid disruption while the new procurement is finalised. The value quoted for t…

“approve a retrospective award of spot contracts to the current provider for the eight month period from the 1st of January 26 to the 1st of September …”

Rising SEND transport demand

The council reports a clear service-pressure on SEND home-to-school transport: it has a statutory duty, serves around 800 learners, and demand has risen sharply since the 2014 SEND reforms. This press…

“The council has a statutory duty to provide home to school transport for eligible children and young people and currently provides SEND transport for …”

Long-term SEND framework

The council is progressing a wider home-to-school transport framework with regional and north-west local authorities. Cabinet approved awarding the framework to successful bidders, with a contract ter…

“The new contract is planned to commence in September 2026 as well as St Helens also being partied to a wider home to school transport framework with s…”

Overspend and reserve depletion

The cabinet revenue and capital out-turn report shows the council is under significant financial strain, with an overspend in 2025-26 and reserves being used to cover historic budget gaps. The report …

“A report of the cabinet revenue and capital out -term report for 2025 -26 is before you, Councillor David Kent. I move the recommendations on page 18 …”

2025-26 revenue overspend

Cabinet considered the outturn report for 2025-26 showing an overall revenue overspend of £3.371 million against a net budget of £218.637 million. The pressure was concentrated in children and young p…

“This report provides cabinet with the following in respect to the financial year just gone, 25 , 26, revenue budget, savings position, capital program…”

Forecast £3m overspend

Quarter 2 financial monitoring shows the council is forecasting a net budget overspend of £3m, with portfolio overspend of £4.9m. Pressure is being felt across children's and young people's services, …

“"the report position is predicting a portfolio overspend position of $4 .9 million ... resulting in a forecast net budget overspend of $3 million. The…”