Ellie Ames 16 August 2024

Cheshire East sets out plan to tackle £100m deficit

Cheshire East sets out plan to tackle £100m deficit image
Image: Natee Meepian / Shutterstock.com

Plans to address a £100m budget gap over four years will be considered by Cheshire East councillors next week.

Potential savings of £59m-£91m have been identified, the local authority said, amid ‘the most challenging set of circumstances’ it has faced since its formation in 2009.

A draft transformation plan must be sent to the Government this month for the council to receive exceptional financial support.

A report to councillors says: ‘The current financial situation of the council means it has no option but to transform the way it delivers services.’

Proposals include reducing high staff absence and the use of agency workers; an overhaul of care provider commissioning; and ‘reunification’ of children with families to cut care costs.

The council also plans to introduce automatic number plate recognition to generate income from traffic violations; ‘remodel’ library provision; and make changes to waste services, such as by moving to three-weekly waste collections.

Planned digital projects could save an additional £14m, the council said.

Cheshire East said the transformation plan linked to its other improvement work, particularly in children’s services, for which it recently received an improvement notice.

In July, the council's former leader resigned after a report raised serious financial concerns.

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