Mark Whitehead 16 February 2024

Cheshire East seeks support to avoid Section 114 notice

Cheshire East seeks support to avoid Section 114 notice image
Image: Singkham/Shutterstock.com.

Cheshire East Council is the latest to request help from the Government to avoid having to declare itself effectively bankrupt.

The authority has asked for an extra £17.6m which it says is needed because of costs related to the cancellation of HS2 and special educational needs.

It said the support would reduce the 'imminent risk' of having to issue a Section 114 notice.

The council has £14.1m in its general reserves, but has warned that it may have to use that money to cover shortfalls and is forecasting a £13m overspend in the current financial year.

In December the Local Government Association warned that almost one in five councils in England thought it was very or fairly likely that they would need to issue a Section 114 notice this year or next due to a lack of funding to keep key services running.

In 2018 Northamptonshire was the first local authority to issue a section 114 notice in two decades, and since 2020 a further seven councils in England have followed.

Cheshire East introduced a number of cost saving measures, including charges for garden waste collections, cuts to library opening hours and a decision to close its headquarters.

But the council is set to face further challenges in its next financial year and is proposing measures including temporary tip closures, cutting staffing costs and asking parish councils to contribute to libraries and leisure services.

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Chief Executive

Camden Learning
Competitive
Camden Learning is a pioneering schools-led partnership bringing together 57 schools. Camden, London (Greater)
Recuriter: Camden Learning

Key Worker - Young Carers

Essex County Council
£25959.0000 - £28621.0000 per annum
Key Worker - Young CarersFixed Term, Full Time£25,959 to £28,621 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Teaching Assistant

Durham County Council
£26,427 pro rata
Temporary from October 26 to August 27. Villa Real School is an all age 2 to 19 years Special School with pupils with SLD, PMLD and Autism. The Gove Consett
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Care Facilitator

Durham County Council
Grade 6 - £29,071 - £32,046
We are looking to appoint a temporary Care Facilitator to be responsible for negotiating and arranging appropriate packages of care for individual ser Spennymoor
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Senior Practitioner Access to Records

Durham County Council
Grade 12 - £45,529 - £49,817
Are you an experienced social worker looking to make a difference in a different way? Do you want to use your professional expertise, judgement and u Spennymoor
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner