Council plans £30m of savings to plug funding gap

The council is also planning a 4.99% council tax rise

Cheshire West and Chester Council is looking to make almost £30m of savings to balance its budget next year.

The authority said it had received extra funding from central government which was "welcomed" but "not sufficient" to meet all the demands and cost pressures it faces.

It is also planning on increasing council tax by 4.99%.

The budget will be signed off at a full council meeting on 20 February.

The council is planning savings in a range of areas, including reviewing care packages in place in care homes, changes to respite services and restructuring in some business support areas.

It is also planning some measures that would save smaller sums including reviewing portable toilets in Chester city centre, reducing seasonal flower beds in the winter months and reducing the number of parking payment machines in council-owned car parks.

These proposals are set to generate £29.3m of savings.

In a report to councillors, it said the proposals would mean a reduction of 46 full time roles, although it said a number of these posts were vacant.

The report also said there was an estimated funding gap of £106.7m between 2026-2029, but that this would be reduced to £4.1m because of further savings and "locally generated income".

Councillor Carol Gahan, cabinet member for legal and finance services, said the proposals had a "substantial package of investment to protect vital services".

"The council has received an increase of £13.5m in grant funding from central government this year which has been welcomed but is not sufficient to meet all the additional demands and cost pressures we face with an ageing population and more children and families in crisis."

The plans will be looked at by the authority's overview and scrutiny committee on 3 February, before the budget is signed off by the full council on 20 February.