Only Labour have a plan for Trafford!

At last night’s meeting of Trafford Council we passed our Budget for the upcoming financial year. 

This Budget process has not been without its challenges. While Labour are making positive first steps in government, the legacy of 14 years of Conservative chaos and economic mismanagement will take time to overcome. 

Due to an unfair funding mechanism, Trafford the lowest funded Metropolitan area in England. On top of which, the Council has had to make over £300m in savings since 2010 – a real term reduction of more than 63%. 

All the while we have seen the cost of delivering our services grow rapidly – with the cost of supporting vulnerable adults and children’s services in Trafford rising by 38% and 90% respectively since 2018. These services alone now account for around 60% of the Council’s entire budget. 

Last night demonstrated that only Trafford Labour have a viable plan.

While we do not take the decisions around Council Tax lightly, we must balance this alongside our responsibility to deliver the services our residents rely on. 

Following this Budget, Trafford will still have the second lowest Council Tax in Greater Manchester – with residents of Band D properties paying around £60 less per year than neighbours in Manchester and over £350 less than they would in Stockport. 

In return, this is a Budget that will protect our most vulnerable residents, continue to invest in our towns and roads and keep our libraries, leisure centres and green spaces open and available. 

Despite voting against our Budget, no opposition party presented an alternative plan. 

Incredibly, Trafford Conservatives were unable to submit an amendment to the budget as they could not prove it was financially prudent – demonstrating they have not learnt from their past mistakes.

In total, they have now made £79m in unfunded promises over recent years – equivalent to the size of the councils entire adult social services budget. 

What would this mean? It means that, had voters not rightly rejected Trafford Conservatives at recent elections, the council would have long gone bankrupt – and with it all but the most basic services cut back to nothing.

The difference is stark. While opposition parties play performance politics, Labour are focused on delivering for Trafford – including the priorities set out in this Budget.