The Labour Group has warned of the devastating impact cuts imposed on Stockport by the Tory Government will have on frontline services ahead of Councillors agreeing the Council Budget for 2016-17 on Thursday 3rd March.

The Lib Dem Executive is proposing to reduce everyday spending by £18.6 million in 2016-17, as well as increase Council Tax by 3.75% in order to raise £4.75 million to stave off even deeper cuts.

Labour Group Leader Councillor Alex Ganotis said ‘This Government are delegating cuts and tax rises rather than devolving real power to people in Stockport.

‘When even Council Officers are calling the financial picture ‘alarming’ everybody should take note – it is not an exaggeration to say that many of the services which residents across the borough rely upon simply won’t exist in 4 years’ time due to the ideological attack on Local Government we are seeing from the Tories.

‘Local people face a double whammy of being asked to pay more Council Tax and seeing reduced support for the vulnerable, deteriorating local parks, a struggle to save libraries and museums, and it becoming impossible to contact the Council for advice or guidance.

The £18.6 million of cuts during 2016-17 include £8 million to adult social care and more than £3 million to children and family services in Stockport. Since April 2011, around 1,000 people have lost their jobs with Stockport Council, 25% of the total workforce.

Councillor Ganotis added ‘Tory cuts are hitting the most deprived communities 18 times harder than they are hitting the most affluent, rural, southern ones – there is a matter of basic fairness which simply can’t be ignored here.

‘The reduction in spending power will be over £50 for every resident in Stockport next year, and more than £85 per head less will be spent per head on local public services by 2018.

‘The Council can’t deal with those levels of cuts by being a bit more efficient, they mean savage cuts to frontline services which I don’t believe anybody should want to see.’

The Government is planning to effectively end the support it provides to the Council for local public services in Stockport over the next 4 years, with the Revenue Support Grant projected to fall from over £39 million in 2015-16 to only £3 million in 2019-20.