Budget 2017/18: What it means for garden waste charge, parking fees and school crossing patrols

Council chiefs pushed through the budget for the next financial year on Wednesday. And bosses revealed the financial situation was even worse than that previously forecast three months ago.

Since the draft budget stage, the overall funding gap has increased from £22.17m to £25.37m in 2017/18 – and increased from £42.09m to an estimated £47.71m for the next three years.

At last week’s meeting, councillors approved a 4.99 per cent hike in council tax, made up of a 1.99 per cent general rise and three per cent for adult social care funding.

The increase in council tax will bring in an extra £4.2m.

For a band D property, this will mean an increase of £1.08 per week, or £56.25 per year.

And arguably the most controversial of the budget proposals has been put on the back-burner.

The council’s proposal to withdraw funding for school crossing patrols will be subject to a second phase of consultation. The council said it remains committed to “seeking alternative funding sources”.

The savings target for schools crossing patrols remains in the proposals but in the event that they cannot be delivered following the second round of consultation then the impact will be met from the council-wide contingency budget. It was originally intended to save the council £350,000 in the next financial year.

The waste management charge has also been passed.

From June 5, the council will be operating an optional paid-for service for the collection of garden waste.

The annual subscription for one green bin will cost £35 per year if you register online or £40 if you register by phone.

Each additional green bin will cost an additional £25 per year.

An information pack on this new service and how to sign up will be mailed out to all households in April.

Motorists will pay double, if not treble, the current prices for parking at council-owned car parks.

The 30-minute and two-hour rate would be three times the price (70p from 20p and £1.50 from 50p respectively); the three-hour rate increase from £1.50 to £2.50 and parkers would pay £3.50 instead of £2 to park for four hours.

All-day parkers will see the £4 charge hike to £7 – or double from £3 to £6 for on street parking.

Charges will be introduced at seven car parks which are currently free all day, including Hampson Street and James Street in Sale Moor; Manor Avenue, Flixton Road and Atkinson Road in Urmston; Lacy Street in Stretford; and Balmoral Road in Altrincham.

It is proposed to offer two hours free in these car parks, with a £1 charge after this time.

This plan is expected to generate £702,000 for the financial year next year.

Since the draft budget in November, and subsequent consultations, £123k of reshaping care savings has been deemed unachievable in 2017/18, as has £228k of reablement and budget revision savings.

And the £18k maintenance to individual bowling clubs saving proposal has now been removed, following consultation.

The transfer of maintenance to bowling clubs will be subject to a further review as part of the overall leisure strategy.

For further savings, a one and a half day mandatory leave scheme for council staff has been extended for a temporary period of 12 months, until March 2018. The budget support reserve will be tapped into, with £3.06m released.

In the budget report, the council was also keen to highlight the significant investments being made. These include, an increase in the level of demographic funding on social care services of £7m, coupled with £2.4m for adaptations and assistive technology to assist people to live in their own homes.

£2.5m will be spent on the provision of additional places in primary schools and £6.5m will be spent on the first phase of improvements to leisure centres.

Improvements to highways will receive £3.2m, improvements to parks infrastructure and play area refurbishments will be allocated £0.4m and investment in new technology, £1.3m.

The budget debate to follow.