Manchester Council Proposes Fee Increases and Social Care Changes to Address Budget Shortfall

Manchester City Council has put forward a cost-cutting strategy that may lead to increases in parking charges, fines for littering, and social care costs throughout Manchester, with the goal of saving over £40m. The council is currently seeking public input on these proposals, which are designed to address a budget deficit projected to reach £77m by 2027. According to Council leader Bev Craig, the Labour-led local authority is confronted with “difficult decisions” to achieve financial stability due to escalating care expenses. Councillor Astrid Johnson, who serves as the deputy leader of the Green Party, stated: “Manchester desperately needs a boost to its funding to make sure our core services stay properly resourced and our local communities don’t have to pay the price.” Currently, the council’s anticipated budget deficit for the 2025/26 financial year stands at £29m; however, this amount could escalate to £77m within three years if savings objectives are not achieved. Councillors aim to generate £41.5m through increased revenue and improved operational efficiency, alongside approximately £2.3m from direct expenditure reductions. Among the proposals to increase revenue are plans to generate £1.5m by raising public parking fees to “align with those in privately-owned car parks”. Additionally, penalties for littering might increase from £150 to £180, and re-issuing the contract for digital advertising screens owned by the council could yield £1.35m. A council spokesman indicated that the most substantial change involves revising social care charges “so that those with the most assets pay the full cost of their council care”. This particular measure would not affect individuals residing in temporary or permanent care home settings but would apply to those receiving care at home, potentially generating £7.5m over the forthcoming three years. The proposed savings strategy also indicated a potential saving of £2m in staffing costs through the elimination of positions that have remained unfilled for a year. Ms Johnson remarked: “Labour must keep its promise to deliver multi-year funding settlements which would help councils like ours across the country.” The public consultation regarding these savings proposals will remain open until 12 January, with the council scheduled to finalize the budget on 28 February 2025. For more content, listeners can tune into the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can also be submitted to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk and via Whatsapp at 0808 100 2230. This content is Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the material found on external websites. Further information on our external linking policy is available.