Stockport Liberal Democrats

Stockport Council is calling on the Labour Government to reform the way local government is funded, to prevent councils up and down the country from succumbing to bankruptcy. The call comes as Stockport is reporting a forecasted budget deficit of £8.8 million this financial year, due predominantly to the growing pressures in adult social care and children’s services.

Cllr Jilly Julian, Deputy Leader of Stockport Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, said: “Work is well underway to resolve the outturn position, with no stone left unturned as we look to maximise controls on spending and find potential savings. The fact of the matter is, however, that funding from government is simply nowhere near enough to meet the rising costs of delivering essential care services for our residents.

“We are grateful that we are in a far more secure position than other local authorities, and we will continue to balance the books and live within our means. Stockport is a council that is well known in the sector for its robust financial management, and one that can make the tough decisions to ensure sustainability and resilience.

“We are consistently disappointed by government’s refusal to be bold and properly reform local government finance. For 17 years councils have been forced to provide more statutory services with less money – there comes a point where there are no more efficiencies to make. There are services that both legally and morally, we must provide, yet the financial position the government is putting us in is simply untenable.”

The Local Government Association’s (LGA) analysis indicates that councils face a £2.3 billion funding gap in 2025/26, which could rise to £3.9 billion in 2026/27. These pressures are driven by escalating costs in children’s and adults social care, with no sign of radical support or reform on the horizon. MHCLG cannot continue to lean on council tax-payers to fund statutory, demand-led services.

Cllr Julian added: “Despite rising financial pressures for councils across the country, government has provided Stockport with negligible extra funding, whilst inflation continues to rise. The new funding formulas have no consideration for what kind of support a heavily polarised borough like ours needs. We once again call on the government to show some ambition and meaningfully reform local government finance, taxation, and social care, before it is too late.”

Following a large number of recent enquiries from local residents and a motion having been submitted to the next Full Council Meeting, Cllr Jilly Julian, Cabinet Member representing Stockport on the GM Pension Fund Management Committee, has sent two letters to the GM Pension Fund asking a series of questions regarding Ethical Investments and about Carbon Emissions.

She said: “With such intense public interest from residents and GMPF Members, it felt like the right time to be asking these questions regarding key governance principles around ethical investment, and also revisiting a commitment that was made relating to carbon emissions.

“Regarding ethical investments, my questions relate to the level of exposure of the fund’s existing investments, what criteria and due diligence are in place that constitute ethical screening, and what future commitments there are to review, and what events might bring that point forward.

“A specific commitment was made in 2021 to halve carbon emissions within the decade, and yet is no longer referenced explicitly. I’m keen to know whether that commitment still stands, what progress has been made towards it, and how we, across GM, could go further and faster to achieve it.”

The letters can be read below.

These are straightforward questions that reflect interests across Stockport, and I’m looking forward to the responses.”

Local Liberal Democrats will be out in force this Sunday, demonstrating their support for Stockport Pride, the annual event that allows our LGBTQ+ community and their allies to come together and celebrate everyone’s right to truly be who they are, challenging discrimination and continuing the fight for acceptance and equality.

Speaking ahead of the event, Cllr Jake Austin, Lib Dem Group coordinator of our involvement with Stockport Pride, said: “We are proud to stand with the entire LGBTQ+ community at a time when they face another rise in prejudice and barriers to living life as their genuine selves. We always have a large group of Councillors and activists taking part, all coming together to show our solidarity and support whilst enjoying what is always a really fun day.”

Cllr Dan Oliver, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Public Protection and lead on equality and diversity, added: “Pride is inherently political and its values are core beliefs of Liberal Democrats, who have advocated for LGBTQ+ rights and equality for decades. We will be proud to march with our friends under a party banner, demonstrating our support as we strive to make Stockport a great place that truly welcomes everyone and is only intolerant of intolerance. I encourage everyone to come and enjoy the fun.”

Stockport Pride will be in the marketplace from 11am to 7pm this Sunday, with many events and stalls open through the day. Come and say hello at the Liberal Democrat stall and join in with us during the march.

Liberal Democrats have raised concerns about the continuing changes to planning being drip-fed by the Labour government, with announcements today around loosening the requirement to protect nature and biodiversity and a consultation on moving more planning decisions away from residents through their locally-elected representatives.

Added to the changes already announced last year and earlier this year, it means Lib Dems will have to bring forward a draft Local Plan for consultation wildly at odds with the version they published last summer. Government action means the new draft will have to include the release of significant tracts of Green Belt land, now termed “Grey Belt” by the government, to meet the much higher, compulsory housing and employment land targets that all councils face.

Cllr Jake Austin, Cabinet Member with responsibility for delivering the Local Plan, said:

“Not content with announcing plans to railroad over local democracy by drastically reducing the say our residents and communities will have over development, the government is now rolling back on its promises to protect our natural environment. Labour are creating a system which gives developers a free pass to build without consideration for our communities, green spaces, or natural environment.

“We are committed to making sure Stockport builds enough homes for everyone who wants to make this brilliant borough their home, and we will work tirelessly to make this happen, but Keir Starmer’s drastic reforms are bulldozing through the protections that keep building sustainable.

“Development is a careful balance between building the homes we desperately need without disrupting our communities or destroying our environment. This Labour government is making it impossible for any local authority to maintain that balance.”

Cllr Mark Roberts, Leader of the Council and of the Liberal Democrats at Stockport Town Hall, said:

“We have always accepted the need to build more homes in our borough. But they have to be the right homes in the right places. To date we have focussed on breathing life back into our Town Centre and the surrounding areas, but there was always going to be a need for careful development in other parts of the borough to meet demand.

“The Liberal Democrats drew up and published a plan last summer that delivered what Stockport needed in a sustainable way, but the new Labour government have completely changed the rules. They haven’t just thrown the baby out with the bathwater, they’ve lobbed the bath out the window with it! They’ve given the green light to developers to concrete over our Green Belt and change our communities forever. Councils like Stockport and others across GM will be given no options to avoid this. Local people and councillors will essentially have no say over whether the government allows large scale development by the back door.

“People should be angry with the Labour government and their Green Belt Land Grab. We certainly are.”

Stockport Liberal Democrats join a growing group of organisations warning the government against its proposals, with the RSPB describing the reforms as a step that will “put wildlife seriously at risk”.