Oldham’s council tax set to rise despite ‘change of direction’ in finances

Oldham town hall is set to bump up council tax by nearly 5% from April 2026, hitting the maximum increase allowed without a referendum. This means residents in Band A will pay about £1,717, while Band B and C will see charges rise to £2,003 and £2,289, respectively. The increase comes despite a slight financial improvement thanks to an extra £28m from a government Recovery Grant. However, the council faces a projected overspend of £15m for the 2025/26 budget and a £20m shortfall for 2026/27, driven by costs in children’s and adult social care. Finance boss, Councillor Abdul Jabbar, mentioned that the funding system is changing to better support areas like Oldham, which have higher needs. To balance the books, the council plans to tap into grant funding and increase service charges by around 10%, while also cutting £8.1m from services, including changes to waste disposal and support services.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News