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.
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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.
He said key priorities would be supporting those most impacted by the cost of living squeeze and deliver ‘game-changing investment in our towns’.
He said Bury Council would reinforce its position a ‘real living wage’ employer, extend free school meal provision over the summer holidays and introduce a cost of living support fund which could help a broader section fo the community.
He added that another £10m would be invested in highways taking the total investment to £30m.
He said the £10m would be spent on pothole repairs, resurfacing and road safety schemes.
Conservative leader Coun Nick Jones, said: “Labour is increasing council tax in this year of all years.
“There are ways of reducing it, you just need to run an efficient council something which they are not very good at.
“The question that needs to be asked is why any residents should believe that any of this will be delivered?
“The leader touched on ‘getting on with the job’, that’s not what he’s been doing.
“This is the same Labour council that passed the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework which will concrete all over land from Tottington in the north to Simister in the south, thousands of houses all over our green land.
“There’s no mention in the budget of protecting green spaces.
“Let’s not forget that Labour voted for the clean air charge, simply a money making scheme by the mayor of Greater Manchester, which will punish businesses across Bury.
“We support the £144m regeneration programme, the only difference is we would actually deliver it.”
The Conservatives proposed an amended budget which would limit the council tax increase to below two per cent.
It also proposed a 10 per cent decrease in Bury Market rents and promises to make the filling of potholes a top priority.
Liberal Democrat leader Coun Michael Powell said the budget was ‘heavily reliant on borrowing and reserves’ and said ‘regeneration is welcome but resources must match ambition’.
His party introduced a budget amendment which included a focus on environment and climate change.
They wished to introduce measure to curb vehicle engines idling outside schools and introduce more cycle parking to the borough.
Both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat amendments were defeated by a majority of councillors and the Labour proposed budget was passed.
