Tough decisions ahead

Hello everyone. It’s that time of year when we start to look at next year’s budget, and I’m afraid there will be some tough decisions ahead.

I know you’ve heard it before. To be honest, I’m getting fed up saying it. But there’s simply no getting away from the facts – we are woefully underfunded for the services we have to provide.

We are in the bottom 20% for council funding, and our spending power in real terms has been slashed over the past decade. This has let us to find £150 million in savings over that period.

And we’re not alone. This is a national problem, which has even led to some councils going bust, in effect. The only long-term solution is a complete review of the way councils are funded, something that was promised years ago and which we and others have long called for.

In short, we have identified a budget gap of £35 million for the three years up to 2028. We’ve identified potential savings of £10 million, but that still leaves a £22 million shortfall – with the majority of that to be found in the first year.

This is being caused by huge increases in costs, and an ever-increasing demand for services, particularly in adults’ and children’s social care which together take up nearly three quarters of the council’s budget.

Now, of course we will set a balanced budget. We have to – it’s the law.

But we need to discuss with you how we’re going to get there, which is why we are launching a public consultation shortly where you can give us your views.

It’s not all bad news, though. In spite of our budget challenges, we have been able to invest in the future prosperity of our borough – the major regeneration projects taking place in Radcliffe and planned for Bury and Prestwich are testament to that. This is our home, and we all want to ensure that our borough thrives for generations to come.

The immediate challenge is getting the money we need to run the essential day-to-day services that people rely on.

I urge everyone to take part in the budget consultation when it begins next month.