Residents braced for 4.99% council tax hike - and it could be more

Residents in Trafford are being faced with a council tax hike of at least 4.99 per cent as town hall bosses bid to plug a £6.4million budget gap in the next financial year. And the council’s finance chief has issued a stark warning over proposals for savings which ‘may require consultation with the public, businesses and staff’ before the end of this month.

In a report to the authority’s executive which meets next week, director of finance and systems, Graeme Bentley, warns of an increased risk of the authority being legally prevented from planning new expenditure - known as a Section 114 Notice. He wrote: “Despite a long track record of robust, effective and prudent financial management, in my opinion, the risk of a S114 notice has increased, following over a decade of austerity measures and due to the rising demand pressures in social care services and the continuing impact of the cost of living on the council.

“The council has minimal financial headroom to absorb financial pressures meaning the likelihood of a S114 remains a real concern during 2024/25. This highlights the importance of containing expenditure within budget during the current financial year and making further tangible progress to delivering further transformational savings required to balance the 2024/25 budget.”

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Mr Bentley said the final decisions will be taken by the executive after taking into consideration further proposals to address the gap, all relevant matters and feedback, at which time a proposed budget will be put to full Council for approval on 21