Cheshire East Council consults on budget proposals

Cheshire East residents, businesses, and other stakeholders are being invited to comment on budget proposals setting out how the local authority intends to close its funding gap over the next four years.

Following strong engagement in the recent budget prioritisation survey – which attracted more than 2,200 responses – the council is now consulting on specific proposals that will help shape balanced budgets in years to come. Like many other councils, the local authority has faced significant financial challenges in the recent years in light of rising demand for services, inflation and the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The council’s latest financial review shows an overspend of £2.3 million for the current year, even after £25.3 million of exceptional financial support from government. To move away from reliance on one-off support and to meet the best value duty, the council is proposing a mix of savings, income generation, and transformation. Key actions include: 

• Workforce savings: Saving around £8.3 million by managing vacancies when people leave or retire. 
• Income generation: Maximising income from services that the council charges direct fees and charges for, ensuring that the full cost of providing those services is covered by the fees we charge. From January 2027, fees and charges will be set for the year ahead each January. Together, these changes are set to raise an extra £1.25m. 
• New commercial opportunities: For example, using council-owned land to create habitats and sell environmental credits to developers, expected to raise £1 million in 2026/27.

In addition, the council is continuing with a number of multi-year measures. These include service-specific proposals for savings, and council-wide proposals including: 

• Adults and health: £11.8m through prevention programmes, learning disability service transformation, and commissioning reforms.
• Children and families: £3.8m through placement reviews and new accommodation models for young people.
• Digital transformation: Investment in digital enablement and automation to improve customer experience and efficiency, delivering savings of £13.5m in 2026/27.

Cllr Nick Mannion, leader of Cheshire East Council, said:

“Every pound we spend is a careful choice. The budget we agreed in February 2025 was shaped by your feedback, and now we need your views again to guide the difficult decisions ahead. We know you care deeply about the services we provide, and we want to ensure your voice is heard.” 

Cllr Michael Gorman, deputy leader, added:

“We’re facing a forecast funding gap of £18.2m for 2026/27 – down from £33m earlier this year – thanks to hard work and early savings. Major challenges remain. Social care is a legal duty and a lifeline for many of our most vulnerable residents. So when demand rises, caring for people comes first. Talking and listening to residents about these proposals will help us to strike the right balance when decisions are made in February.” 

Residents can view the proposals and access the consultation via the Cheshire East Council website. The consultation closes at 9am on Wednesday 17 December.

Community assemblies are also being held in Crewe (in November) and Macclesfield (in December) for invited residents to discuss the proposals.