Trafford Council has agreed its final budget which includes multi-million pound plans to provide much needed services to people across the borough despite the financial challenges it faces.
Council leader Tom Ross said achieving a balanced budget was one of the most difficult tasks of his political career.
The final revenue budget of £273.7m includes nearly £64m to be spent on children’s services and £110m on adult social care, while the capital programme includes £11.2m on road repairs and maintenance including fixing potholes, £14.7m on schools, £13m on leisure facilities, including the new Partington Leisure Centre, and £3.6m on parks and green spaces.
To allow it to set the budget, the Council received Exceptional Financial Support from the government which included permission to raise Council Tax by 7.49% and a capitalisation loan of £9.6m to help repair a structural deficit and to pay for the increasing needs for services.
The council tax increase amounts to just over £2 a week for a Band A home and just over £3 a week for a Band D home (inclusive of increase in mayoral precepts). A 25 per cent discount for single adult households also remains in place.
Despite the increase Trafford still has the second lowest level of council tax in Greater Manchester.
Cllr Ross said he understood that this proposed increase will be difficult for many people but the Council will continue to help those who are struggling through its tax support scheme, local welfare assist scheme and by using the new Crisis and Resilience Fund.
The agreed budget confirmed that there were no plans for compulsory redundancies among staff and the Council would not be going bankrupt.
Cllr Ross said:
“I’m proud of the services we provide as a council. They matter and they need to be funded. Our long-term financial stability also matters to me. This is why I am prepared to take difficult, but necessary, decisions for the long term.
“This budget supports the services people need every day including street cleaning, waste collection, recycling and libraries, and parks. It makes sure we are still investing millions of pounds in road repairs and maintenance.
“It provides support for children and young people through our schools, foster families and Family Hubs.
“The budget helps with services that keep people healthy, and it funds care for residents who are more vulnerable. It supports the vital work of stopping homelessness and providing people who need a safe place to live."
Cllr Ross continued:
“We are still one of the lowest funded metropolitan councils in England. Trafford’s funding will rise by only 3.8 per cent over the next three years, compared with a metropolitan council average rise of 20 per cent.
“We are also dealing with a structural deficit in our budget and we will continue our dialogue with the Government to help Trafford get a better deal in the future."