Proposals to save £100m over 3 years include nearly 4% increase in Council Tax

Cllr Peter Groves Cabinet member for finance and assets (1)

Cheshire East Council has today published a report which outlines its draft proposals for how the council can save £100m to balance the books over the next three years.

This is because Cheshire East, like most councils, is facing significant reductions in funding from central government whilst facing increasing demand from those who need support from our social care services.

The council proposes to meet this financial challenge through a mix of tax increases and changing its service offer. The overall aim is to make the council financially self-sufficient – by reducing its reliance on the central government revenue support grant which will decrease from £40m in 2015/16 to nil by 2020.

It is proposed to increase Council Tax by 3.99 per cent to invest with half of this rise going to adult social care. This follows last April's 3.75 per cent increase after five years of Council Tax freeze.

Councillor Peter Groves, cabinet member for finance and assets, said: "Cheshire East is a high-performing authority and a great place to live, work, do business and visit. Our residents enjoy good living standards and, when they need help from the Council, we are consistently recognised as providing excellent services.

"However, setting out our financial plans for the next three years is particularly challenging in the UK-wide context of big reductions in government grants to councils and rising demand for vital services such as social care."

He added: "The consultation document provides a strong set of initial proposals that balance the council's medium-term finances. It is also a real opportunity for interested parties to engage in the budget-setting process.

"Cheshire East puts its residents first. I value the opinions of local residents, businesses and organisations and I would encourage people to give their views via the consultation."

"New ideas that could help the council achieve its outcomes, are always welcome, so I would encourage people to respond to the consultation."

The public consultation on the pre-budget report for 2017 – 2020 will will run from Friday, 4th November to January 10th 2017. After which the responses will be analysed and considered before budget-setting decisions are taken by a meeting of full council in February 2017.

From tomorrow, Cheshire East invites feedback from residents, businesses, councillors, staff, town and parish councils and other stakeholders to inform decisions. This consultation will be an ongoing process over the next three years.

Click here to download the Cheshire East Council Pre-Budget Consultation and complete the online survey.

Photo: Councillor Peter Groves, cabinet member for finance and assets.

Tags:
Cheshire East Council, Council Tax
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Stephen Justice
Tuesday 8th November 2016 at 4:01 pm
What an excellent cost cutting notion! I think I shall apply the same logic to reducing my future council tax bills: I shall raise my charges to the council for my time spent sweeping, clearing litter and weeding the street In front of my home from a clearly unsustainable zero to a figure I estimate will equate to about 4% of my present council tax bill... of course index linking this should ensure a balanced budget for the Justice household for years to come.

Thank you for this fabulous insight into financial management!
Adrian Scott
Tuesday 8th November 2016 at 4:44 pm
Perhaps if they didn't pay "Executives" outrageous salaries and severance payments. let alone monumental investments in schemes which never come to fruition, they wouldn't have to save as much. I wonder; will the responses be analysed and considered and meetings recorded and broadcast in full on the web ? or will the details be too complex for mere mortals to comprehend ?