The Scrutiny Committee of Trafford Council met on Wednesday 15 July 2026 to discuss the council's budget update and its work programme for the upcoming year. The meeting also included a verbal report on the Leader of the Council's priorities for 2026/27.

Leader's Priorities 2026/27

A verbal report was scheduled to be presented regarding the priorities of the Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2026/27.

Council Budget Update

A report from the Director of Finance and Systems was scheduled to be presented, providing an update on the Council's budget. The report detailed the council's gross budget for 2026/27, which stands at £698 million, including specific funding for the Dedicated Schools Grant and Housing Benefit. The net budget is £274 million, with a further £122 million allocated to the 3-year Capital Programme and £200 million for the Asset Investment Strategy.

The report highlighted that Trafford Council has been addressing budget gaps for 16 years, totalling £372 million up to 2026/27. It noted a structural deficit due to low council tax levels and national funding cuts, with budget growth from demand and inflation (£12 million annually) not being matched by funding increases (£6 million annually). The loss of the Airport Dividend and a consistent council tax freeze for five years were also cited as contributing factors. The report indicated that the budget for the last two years had been balanced with Exceptional Support Funding (EFS), including capitalisation and a move towards sustainable funding through council tax.

A CIPFA review in 2024 confirmed a significant funding shortfall, stating that Trafford had fallen further behind other upper-tier authorities in spending power growth since 2011/12 and was projected to continue doing so. The Government's Fair Funding Review in 2025 was noted as not recognising the Council's position, leaving it £24 million worse off.

The budget strategy for 2027/28 to 2029/30 aims to deliver corporate and resident priorities with a £274 million spend, supported by a year-round communications plan. A Finance & Transformational Change Board is developing a three-year programme of transformational change, focusing on six major programmes and core themes. Benchmarking, lobbying the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), and capitalising on opportunities within Greater Manchester (GM) are also key elements of the strategy. The council aims to use minimal capitalisation directions and will revisit budget assumptions and review reserves quarterly.

The report outlined an opening budget gap of £37,075,000 for 2027/28 and £13,315,000 for 2028/29, after accounting for a savings programme and an assumed 5% increase in council tax.

The Finance and Transformational Change Programme involves a governance refresh, with the main board becoming the Finance & Transformational Change Board (F&TC). New sub-boards for Adults, Children's, and BnB Elimination have been formed. The Transformation Board has been re-established to focus on transformational and digital strategies. The programme identifies six key areas: Children's Transformation, Adults Transformation, BnB Elimination and Temporary Accommodation, Digital, Smarter Working and Corporate Areas, and Front Door. Six overarching themes are also identified: Income Efficiency and Maximisation, Prevention and Demand Management, Contracts and Commissioning, Productivity and Use of Technology, Property and Estates, and Benchmarking.

Next steps include developing business cases for transformational activity, managing in-year budget monitoring, and drafting a Budget Report for the Executive in October.

Committee Work Programme 2026/27

The Committee was scheduled to receive and discuss any additional work programme suggestions for the 2026/27 municipal year.

Urgent Business

Any other item or items which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair of the meeting was of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

Exclusion Resolution

A motion was to be considered to exclude the public from the meeting during the consideration of remaining items, due to the likelihood of disclosure of exempt information as defined by the Local Government Act 1972.