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

Director of Education and Learning

Lambeth Council
Up to £141,000
We're looking for an exceptional leader to become our next Director of Education and Learning. Lambeth, London (Greater)
Recuriter: Lambeth Council

Head of Adult Services

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
£89,565 - £98,298
As a member of the Council's Corporate Leadership Team, you will provide strategic leadership across a diverse portfolio of services Neath Port Talbot (Castell-nedd Port Talbot)
Recuriter: Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

Deputy Director of Quality and Practice

Stoke-on-Trent City Council
£101,978 - £107,137
You will help turn our Families First Partnership ambitions into excellent frontline practice Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Recuriter: Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Service Directors

Cambridgeshire County Council
Up to £137,000
To succeed, you’ll already have an impressive and comprehensive track record of effectiveness, with particular experience in service improvement Cambridgeshire
Recuriter: Cambridgeshire County Council

Director of Digital, Data and Technology

Royal Borough of Greenwich
circa £130,000
As our new Director, you will be responsible for shaping and delivering digital transformation across the council and beyond. London (Greater)
Recuriter: Royal Borough of Greenwich
Linkedin Banner