One Greater Manchester council is £9.2m over budget

Tameside council is facing a hefty budget shortfall of £9.2 million and plans to tap into its £27.5 million emergency reserves to make ends meet by March. Finance chief Coun Hugh Roderick highlighted that the council will deplete reserves significantly unless cost-cutting measures are implemented soon. The major cause of the deficit is overspending in children’s services, particularly due to high workforce costs and rising demand for placements, which is projected to hit £7.175 million. Meanwhile, Coun John Taylor noted overspending in adult social care is linked to more complex cases, and he firmly believes in prioritising support for vulnerable individuals. Children’s services head Coun Teresa Smith mentioned that while her overspend relates to a large improvement plan, they’re saving money by reducing reliance on agency staff. Roderick believes the council’s financial position is better than it was 18 months ago, with hopes of rebuilding reserves next year thanks to a better government settlement.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News