Salford city council has rubber-stamped a 4.99 per cent increase in council tax and set a budget of £244.5million for this coming financial year. Despite a ‘better than expected’ financial settlement from central government, the council needs to find £6m to bridge its budget gap for 2023/24.
The hike in council tax includes the 2pc adult social care precept permitted by central government. However, city mayor Paul Dennett has pledged that residents across the city would be shielded as much as possible from the effects of the cost of living crisis.
“The crisis in local government funding will continue to impact on services we deliver to our residents and tough choices inevitably remain,” he said. But he continued: “Now more than ever it is imperative that we use the council’s budget to support our residents, families and businesses and to ensure that we continue to provide those essential services and support that our residents rely on,” he told a full meeting of the city council.
