Trafford Council needs to plug a budget gap of nearly £26m for the next financial year.
The scale of savings the Council must make to balance its books have been made clear in a stark new report to councillors setting out draft budget proposals for 2025/26.
The current shortfall in cash for essential services follows reductions in the funding awarded to Trafford Council over a significant number of years alongside sharp increases in support needed by some of the most vulnerable residents in the borough.
Cllr Tom Ross, Leader of Trafford Council, said balancing the books was getting harder and harder every year and councillors now face making some tough and unpopular decisions.
Cllr Ross said: “We have suffered more than £300m of cuts over the decade and a half yet our services are more in demand than ever. This is simply unsustainable, even for a well-run Council like Trafford.”
A recent independent review by finance specialists the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) confirmed that the Council handles money matters well but faces historic funding challenges.
Cllr Ross said: “CIPFA recognised we are a financially well-run council but also recognised the funding issues we face. We are the lowest-funded council in Greater Manchester and need a fair deal. We called for a fair funding review last year but this has not happened and we are now seeing the consequences.”
Council Tax is set to go up by 2.99%, with the adult social care precept rising by 2%. Trafford residents will still have the second-lowest Council Tax rate in Greater Manchester, despite the increase. A draft proposal to reintroduce an annual charge of £45 for collection of garden waste is also being explored.
The budget report will be discussed by the Council’s Executive Committee on Monday 21 October.
