'It's unfeasible not to': Bury bosses confirm 4.99% council tax rise

Bury’s council has approved a budget that includes a 4.99% council tax rise and £9.5m in cuts to tackle a £14m budget shortfall, primarily due to soaring costs in adult and children’s social care. This area consumes nearly 70% of the council’s expenditure. While they’ve received a better-than-expected financial settlement, they still plan to tap into £3.9m of reserves to bridge the gap. Councillor Sean Thorpe highlighted that even with a slight boost from government funding, pressures remain high. Bury’s funding is set to increase from £248m to £267m by 2028/29, yet the council anticipates ongoing challenges with a projected £21m shortfall in the coming years. To boost revenue, Bury will raise leisure and parking charges and introduce new fees, including for EV charging applications. Social and affordable rents will increase by 4.8%, adding about £4.60 to weekly rents. The proposed budget will be presented for a vote at a full council meeting on February 25.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News