It’s an incredible privilege to be the leader of Trafford Council. 

Trafford’s the place I’ve called home most of my life.

I’m proud to be part of an organisation where people do their best every day to deliver services I know residents value from our environmental services to social care, youth services to libraries.

The council does its best to sustain those services despite the severe financial pressures the organisation faces after almost 14 years of austerity pressures.

Austerity initiated by the coalition government and pursued by subsequent Conservative administrations in Westminster.

Back in 2010, David Cameron, George Osborne, and Nick Clegg, ushered in an era of austerity that was supposed to eliminate the budget deficit by 2015. 

That policy failed and we instead experienced a period of low growth and cuts to public services.

Over a decade’s worth of austerity has left several local authorities balancing on a financial cliff edge. And Trafford Council is no exception. It is an image that is reflective of a sector in desperate need of support.

Several councils fear that amid systematic cuts to the funding they receive from government, remains the prospect of not meeting their statutory responsibilities (services they are legally required to provide).

In Trafford, we have already addressed budget gaps totalling £288m – and to give this some context - our current budget to fund all services is £209m.

Essentially, the authority’s funding has been reduced by 60 per cent in real terms since 2010.

To set a balanced budget for the next financial year we are required to bridge a gap of £20m.

And that figure must be met through savings and other measures before a balanced budget can be presented to a council meeting in February.

Similar to residents and businesses, the council is also experiencing financial challenges with increasing costs.

And while Trafford Council has managed its finances very effectively – and will continue to do so – there is little resilience in reserves to sustain a balanced budget in the future.

Trafford Council is one of the lowest funded in the country and falls short of a fair funding package received by similar local authorities. 

Central government needs to fund local councils fairly and adequately, or it will be our communities and economy that will ultimately suffer.

Clearly, we are not standing still as a council – and will continue with our plans to generate additional funding streams through innovation and investments.

But surely, it is not unreasonable to demand a fairer deal for Trafford’s residents.