The Scrutiny Committee of Trafford Council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday 04 November 2026 to discuss the draft budget proposals for 2027/28 and receive a presentation on the cleanliness of highways and greenspaces. The meeting will also review the committee's work programme.

Draft Budget Proposals 2027/28

The committee is scheduled to receive the draft budget proposals for the 2027/28 financial year from the Director of Finance. The report pack indicates that this discussion will cover the background to the budget, including the council's financial challenges over the past 15 years, which have seen over £370 million in savings delivered since 2010. It will also detail activity supporting budget planning and progress, forecasts for 2027/28 to 2029/30, key budget assumptions, and an update on reserves. The council has faced a long-term structural funding gap driven by demand growth, inflation, and increased National Living Wage pressures, compounded by historic Council Tax freezes and the loss of the Manchester Airport dividend. The report pack highlights that around £30 million of reserves have been used since the pandemic, leaving limited one-off resources available. The proposals aim to bridge a significant budget gap, with a three-year savings programme of £14.8 million outlined.

Cleanliness of Highways and Greenspaces

A presentation is scheduled to be delivered regarding the cleanliness of highways and greenspaces across Trafford. This will encompass a range of services, including the cleaning of gullies, sweeping streets, emptying litter bins, seasonal spraying of weeds, leaf clearance, graffiti removal, clearing fly-tipped waste, collecting household waste at the kerbside, cleaning greenspaces, and rewilding initiatives. The report pack details that the council manages approximately 60,000 gullies and that there has been a 92% rise in reactive service demand between nine months of 2026 and 2022, with fly-tipping accounting for a significant portion of this increase. The presentation will also cover the scope and resource model for these services, noting that cleansing duties extend across 516 miles of roads and 743 miles of footpaths. Challenges such as the complexity of the drainage network with multiple owners, restricted access due to parked cars, and the impact of a changing climate are expected to be discussed. The report pack also details the approach to street sweeping, litter bin management, seasonal activities like leafing and weed spraying, graffiti removal, fly-tipping clearance, household bin collections, and greenspace cleaning.

Committee Work Programme

The committee is scheduled to note its Work Programme for the remainder of the Municipal Year. This will provide an overview of planned future discussions and activities for the Scrutiny Committee.