RESIDENTS in Bury face a 4.7 per cent increase in council tax as the pandemic will hit local authority finances to the tune of £43.5m over the next three years.

Councillors set a budget for 2021/22 at a full council meeting last night, with the controlling Labour group planning to help narrow the multi-million pound finding gap by closing civic venues in Bury, Prestwich and Ramsbottom, dimming street lights at night, and ‘improving the efficiency’ of waste collection services.

Opposition Tory leader Cllr Nick Jones branded the council ‘wasteful’ accused them of financial mismanagement and proposed an alternative budget of ‘communities over consultants’ which invested in the six townships of the borough.

But council leader Cllr Eamonn O’Brien said the authority had been hit by lost income and increased costs caused by the series of lockdowns and local restrictions.

He said the crisis was in sharp contrast to the situation a year ago, when the council replenished reserves by £10m and announced multi-million pound plans to tackle climate emergency and help the borough’s most needy.

Councillors were told the authority faces a shortfall of £21m in the next financial year. Around half of this shortfall will be met by using reserves, with the rest made up by cuts to services.

Cllr O’Brien said: “Covid has had a significant effect on our budgets, and will continue to do so for years to come. This current year, covid has cost us £46m, towards which we have received £36m in government help.

“That still leaves us with £10m to find, and we estimate the shortfall will be a further £33m over the next two years. Despite these challenges, we have announced firm measures to help the local economy, and our citizens."

Councillors have been considering savings in adult social care, which will save £9m over four years, including more emphasis on community care. There also savings of £1.2m earmarked in children’s services.

Proposed ‘transformation’ measures would save £5m through closure of council buildings and more agile working, self-service and ‘digital first’ measures, and promoting more self-care at neighbourhood level.

The council is committed to paying the real living wage, which could put £2,500 in the pockets of the lowest paid workers. This will be phased in over the next three years, funded by a three per cent increase in the adult care precept.

A rise in the general tax levy will mean bill payers will see an increase in what they pay of 4.69 per cent in 2021/22.

The budget also includes regeneration capital investment, with Radcliffe, Prestwich, Bury and Ramsbottom set to get around £73m over the next few years.

Cllr O’Brien, said: “Labour in Bury is putting our money where our mouth is on our key workers. For almost a year we have clapped our carers and now I’m proud to say we’ll be paying them a living wage."

Conservative leader, Cllr Nick Jones said the council had been adequately compensated by central government for pandemic costs and accused them of being ‘wasteful’ by spending taxpayers’ money on expensive consultants.

He said: “Time after time we have seen Labour mismanaging Bury’s finances. We want to see our civic venues saved and for the council to invest in these vital community buildings,

“This year they have have been handed £107m by government to handle the pandemic.”

He claimed a Conservative run administration would establish a ‘pot hole’ fund. He also attacked plans to dim streetlights overnight.

He said: “The Labour-run council is proposing to make a £20,000 saving by dimming the lights. We believe street lights should not be dimmed at night because street lighting helps accident prevention as well as reducing crime."