Stockport Council sets its 2024/25 Revenue Budget
Stockport Council has set its 2024/25 Revenue Budget following approval at the Budget Council meeting held on Thursday, 22 February 2024.
Councillor Mark Hunter, Leader of Stockport Council, said:
“Everybody knows how challenging the financial situation is for local authorities at the moment as the government continues to provide inadequate funding to deliver essential services our residents rely on.
“With headlines about councils ‘going bankrupt’, I am pleased that Stockport Council has such a well-established and mature approach to sound financial management and budget setting in delivering the very best for our borough that we can afford.
“We are not in the same difficulties as others because we have taken the difficult decisions as they needed to be taken over many years. Together each year we have re-shaped our services, we have made only prudent use of reserves, and we have taken the difficult but necessary decisions around Council Tax increases. That said, the Local Government Association has identified a £4bn funding deficit for English councils over the coming two years. We really hope the next government recognises this and acts to ensure more money is made available for the vital services our residents rely on.”
Councillor Jilly Julian, Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources at Stockport Council, said:
“Despite the very challenging financial landscape we face, I am frankly relieved that we can deliver a balanced budget which delivers against an ambitious refresh of the Council Plan.
“High among our priorities is tackling poverty and inequality across the borough. We are investing significantly in programmes that will support our most disadvantaged residents in ways which improve their quality of life whilst reducing costs to the council over the medium term.
“We are also finding ways to continue to invest in cleaning up the borough, with more investment in maintenance of our drainage system, more parking enforcement and improved road safety measures, especially near schools.
“There have been difficult decisions to achieve the budget savings requirement of £10.863m in 2024/25 to deliver a balanced budget. Local government funding needs to keep pace with the increased demand and costs of delivering the essential services we know are so important to everyone in the borough.”
In making its decisions, Stockport Council has done its best to minimise the impact on services that support Stockport’s most vulnerable residents and businesses. The council continues to do all it can to support residents and businesses with the rising cost of living. You can visit our cost of living hub, which rounds up the support available for those who need it.
For more information on council tax, please visit the council tax page.
