Warning sounded over looming £26m hole in Trafford budget
manchestereveningnews.co.ukSoaring energy prices and workforce pay increases stand to leave a £26million hole in the finances of Trafford council with town hall bosses now facing a raft of 'difficult decisions'.
The warning came from the authority's executive member for finance and systems Coun Tom Ross at a scrutiny committee meeting last night (September 21).
His report highlighted a budget gap of £15.7m for 2023/24 and a further £2.7m the following financial year. Over the last two years the council has drawn £22.6m of reserves to balance its books which Coun Ross said was 'not sustainable.
He told colleagues there were 'no easy solutions' as more than £170m had been saved through efficiencies, savings and additional income since the beginning of austerity in 2010. "We've been working hard in the background to find ways to bridge the budget gap," said Coun Ross. READ MORE:'My heart is broken', says mum of Manchester aid worker killed in Ukraine as British prisoners released by pro-Russia forces And he spoke of launching a lobbying campaign to Government and trade unions to underline the challenges that the local authority faces ahead of the publication of its draft budget proposals in October.
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