Policy and Resources Committee update
Proposals to set a balanced budget for Wirral Council in 2025-26 have been presented to senior councillors on the authority’s Policy and Resources (P&R) Committee.
Members of the committee met at Wallasey town hall (Wednesday February 19) to consider the budget proposals which would set the budget for the coming year with total savings and efficiencies across the authority totalling £25.446m.
The budget also proposed setting the Band D Council Tax at £1,982.44 (for the Wirral Council element of the Council Tax) representing a general increase of 2.99% plus a 2% ringfenced increase to Adult Social Care for 2025/26.
A report presented to the P&R Committee also said that, like many other councils across the country, Wirral Council has faced severe financial challenges up to and throughout the current year (2024-25). As a result of this it is forecast to see a £19.5m overspend in the current year (2024-25), meaning that a balanced budget position will not be achievable without assistance from the Government.
A full list of the budget proposals for 2025/26 is in Appendix 1 of the 2025/26 Budget and Medium-term Financial Strategy, item 6 of the Committee agenda.
The meeting of the P&R Committee is webcast and can be viewed here.
Members of the P&R Committee have now referred the proposed budget for 2025-26 to a meeting of the Full Council where a final decision will be made. This meeting will take place at Wallasey Town Hall on Monday March 3.
The fact that all P&R committee members, representing all four political parties and their leadership, voted unanimously to carry forward the proposals demonstrates the collaborative approach and the seriousness with which elected members are addressing our financial position.
While the financial challenges remain significant, our commitment to being ambitious for Wirral remains. We have made substantial progress, but much work and difficult decisions are still ahead.
The cross-party co-operation of all elected members working together to benefit all our residents across Wirral has never been more crucial. We cannot let our political point-scoring get in the way of doing the right thing for the residents of Wirral. As we confront the financial challenges that many local authorities face, our goal remains to present a balanced budget.
I thank colleagues and officers for their tireless efforts in reaching this point. I am confident that, despite the tough decisions that lie ahead, we will continue to move forward in this spirit of cooperation and determination
