Bury residents face near 3 per cent rise in council tax as council sets budget - with £10m extra for road improvements

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Residents in Bury will be hit with a bill increase of around three per cent higher from April. The Labour controlled council passed a budget which approved the core increase in council tax of 1.94 per cent and the inclusion of a one per cent social care levy.

The budget also includes recurrent changes to expenditure or reductions in income of £17.2m in 2022/23, and a loss of additional income of £5.9m for the same period. READ MORE:Images of aftermath as Russian army unleashes 80 strikes against Ukraine in hours The council will also use of cash reserves of £14.355m in 2022/23 to balance its finances.

Addressing the council on Wednesday evening, leader Eamonn O’Brien said: “This budget has been one of the hardest we’ve had to set in the council’s history. “Not just because we are having to make cuts to budgets and increasing council tax but because after the last two years I had some degree of hope that the Tory government would finally recognise the value of local government. “And in doing so give us what they promised at the start of the pandemic and give back just a small part of what they have taken away from us over the last 12 years. “Sadly the financial realities facing Bury Council show that this promise has been broken. “Our public services and residents have been betrayed by the government. “Our financial gap in £25m bigger as a result of Covid. “It would be dishonest to suggest the amount of support we have been given is in any way sufficient to avoid tough decisions. “We will get on with the jobs in Bury to respond to the challenges.” Coun O’Brien said the council’s aspirations were for a strong and fair recovery and renew the borough for a brighter future.