Council backs 4.99% tax rise amid £33m cuts

Council tax will increase by 4.99% for people living in Cheshire West and Chester after the local authority approved its budget for the coming financial year.

Cheshire West and Chester Council's financial plans for 2026-27 also include £33m of savings, including job losses.

A number of opposition amendments were put forward and rejected, including one which suggested bin collections reducing to once every three weeks.

After a lengthy debate, the budget was approved by 35 of the 58 councillors who voted.

In presenting the budget, cabinet member for finance Carol Gahan said Cheshire West and Chester Council's position was "better than we had hoped".

She said many councils were facing financial difficulties and had been forced into requesting exceptional financial support (EFS) or a council tax rise above the usually permitted level of 4.99%.

Both Cheshire East and Warrington Councils have been allocated EFS - which allows authorities to borrow to cover their day-to-day spending - while Warrington has also been given permission by the government for a 7.5% council tax rise.

Gahan also highlighted areas in which she said a real challenge was posed.

She said rising demand for adult social care was causing "significant budgetary pressures".

While Gahan said there were also significant pressures in children's social care, the average cost of placements for children in care had fallen year-on-year.

The budget for the coming financial year includes job losses.

A total of 98 posts will be cut during the next four years, including 38 in 2026-27.

The council said some of these positions were already vacant.

Other cost-cutting measures include an organisational review, a reduction in the number of parking ticket machines, and less funding for libraries.

There are also plans to review the council's fostering service to try to increase the number of foster carers in the borough and reduce the number of care placements.

Cheshire West and Chester Council also wants to raise revenue by introducing four moving traffic enforcement cameras.

Conservative group leader Adrian Waddelove said he would not be supporting the Labour-run council's "high tax, zero growth" budget.

He asked: "How is it going to help hard-working families by lobbing another 4.99% on their bills?"

The Conservatives put forward four amendments - calling for additional investment relating to highways, gullies and fly-tipping - which were all rejected.

A further Tory amendment - related to the level of funding for the Parent Carer Forum, which supports SEND families - was approved.

Two independent group amendments were also approved.

One was related to temporary additional funding for community funding, and the other was a four-week trial of a new machine to repair potholes.

A Liberal Democrat motion calling for a review of school transport was rejected.

And a Green councillor amendment, suggesting a move to three-weekly waste bin collections, was refused. One of the party's two councillors abstained in the vote.

The Reform UK group opposed the budget but did not put forward any amendments.

Councillor Mandy Clare said there was "no point" since the administration would not work with them.

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