In my previous column, I wrote about how central government has starved Trafford Council of adequate funding totalling £288m since 2010.

I also explained that the authority had been working extremely hard to provide a balanced budget for the next financial year.

This time, I feel it necessary to provide an update on the council’s current financial position.

This week, Trafford councillors will vote to set a balanced budget for 2024/25.

The budget gap that needed to be closed with savings and other measures totalled a staggering £17.8m. With a further funding gap estimated at £35m over the following two years.

In all my years of experience dealing with local council finances, this has been, by far, the most difficult and challenging budget setting process I have personally been involved with.

The financial pressure on Trafford Council has never been greater. We will, of course, continue to do our best to provide the services our residents value as well as maintaining our record of sound financial management.

However, the situation facing councils across the country - where pressures on budgets outstrip funding - requires a better response from the government.

Like other councils, Trafford has faced increased demand in its children's and adults' services which deal with some of the most vulnerable people in society. Added to these costs has been rising inflation.

Central government needs to better understand the reality of local government finance and provide a fairer funding package for local authorities across the country.

Realistically, how are councils supposed to function when they are being handed one year funding settlements just weeks before they must deliver a balanced budget? Just recently, more than 40 Tory MPs – including seven former cabinet ministers – wrote to the PM demanding extra funding to prevent councils in England from making deep cuts to services during an election year.

They said they were exceptionally concerned that residents would face a double whammy of more cuts and higher council tax if the government fails to make more funding available.

The government offered just £600m despite the Local Government Association estimating councils face a funding gap of £4 billion over the next two years to continue services at current levels.

And while this funding is welcome, it simply isn’t enough to fix a broken system that is in such desperate need of support.

There needs to be an urgent review into how councils are funded so that local authorities can fulfil their legal obligation and meet their financial responsibilities.

I’m hopeful that during this week’s meeting councillors, from all political parties, will get behind the proposals and vote in support of the budget.

In the meantime, on behalf of every single Trafford resident, I will continue to fight for a fairer funding deal so that people have access to the right services at the right time in the right way.