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This week, Lisa Smart, Liberal Democrat MP for Hazel Grove, spoke in parliament against the increase in employers National Insurance contributions, citing a number of small businesses that have already contacted her to express their concerns about the upcoming national insurance hike. Today Stockport’s Liberal Democrats have echoed her worries, saying that the government have created “yet another obstacle” for small business growth.

Leader of Stockport Council, Cllr Mark Hunter, said: “This week, Lisa spoke in parliament of the damage that this policy could do to businesses, giving two of the many examples within her constituency. I’m sure all MPs would echo her sentiment, as this is a national policy that will be felt at most keenly at a local level by small businesses and communities across the country. This on the eve of tomorrow’s Small Business Saturday, a time that we encourage everyone to do their bit for their local businesses in the run up to Christmas.

“At a time where we have seen £1 billion worth of regeneration within Stockport town centre, one of the most positive outcomes has been to see so many small businesses flourish as a result. This ill-thought policy will create yet another obstacle for small businesses, who already have to face up to the difficult economic context.”

However, it is not just small businesses that will suffer as a result of the hike, with local authorities also facing up to the potentially dire consequences of their providers for social care and other services having to increase their fees.

According to the Local Government Association, if nothing is done to cover the costs that councils will face, it will lead to up to a £1.13 billion increase in indirect costs via external providers including up to £628 million for commissioned adult social care services

Portfolio Holder for Finance, Cllr Jilly Julian, said: “While the government have promised extra funding for local authorities in a time of widespread financial turmoil, the increase in national insurance contributions will mean that there are vast increases in cost- the government have given with one hand and taken it back with the other.

“The impact of this policy means that every organisation we work with- charities, strategic partners or healthcare organisations, will all face additional cost. Added to the changes in business rates relief, the hospitality and retail sectors will now face a ‘double whammy’ of costs. In a time when the government is pursuing a programme of economic growth, they have hamstrung small businesses, local authorities, charities and beyond with their decisions.”

Last Thursday, Stockport Council agreed a resolution in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Amongst other measures, councillors committed the Council to continue and expand its work in ensuring that members of the LGBTQ+ community have access to adequate healthcare – whilst tackling hate crime in the borough both through education and continuing the work of the Safer Stockport partnership. The motion was supported by councillors from different parties across the chamber.

Moving the proposal was Offerton Lib Dem Councillor, Dan Oliver, who said

“With this motion we wanted to reaffirm our support for the LGBTQ+ community and to build on the ways in which we engage with and champion the communities members. We have therefore committed to expanding the number of organisations we work with, to improve education and understanding, and to strive for better access to healthcare.

When creating this motion, we have worked very closely with Forward Stockport, a leading organisation of the local LGBTQ+ community, who do amazing work in providing a safe space for the community alongside assisting members to access vital services.”

Between 2020 and 2024, hate crime as a result of an individual’s sexual orientation or being Transgender have almost doubled. Cllr Oliver himself spoke of the abuse he himself has faced when in public with his partner, while other members in the chamber also spoke on their experiences of discrimination.

Cllr Oliver added-

“It was very moving to hear the testimonies of fellow councillors from different parties as we shared our personal experiences of discrimination or abuse, simply for unashamedly being who we are. It was also uplifting to see others speaking of how they have strived to become more understanding of the community and have, over time, become allies themselves.

In Stockport we are committed to supporting all of our residents, this motion isn’t simply about exclusively supporting the LGBTQ+ community. It’s part of a wider strategy of actively looking for new ways in which we can improve the lives of all our of residents who are facing difficulty, and creating an environment of tolerance, community and understanding.”

Stockport Council has published its budget saving proposals for the new year, in which it has to make savings of millions of pounds across departments,  as councils across the country tell the Government that the financial pressure on local government is simply unsustainable. 

With the proposals, Stockport Council sustains its reputation for sound financial management by maintaining a healthier position than neighbouring authorities, many of which have significant overspends of over £20 million- over 6 times that of Stockport. Whilst Stockport Council is in a stronger position, it is not exempt from having to make necessary, but difficult decisions.

Leader of Stockport Council, Cllr Mark Hunter said

We’re proud of how we have maintained robust finances given the unprecedented financial challenges that councils across the country are facing. We have been committed to putting forward a balanced budget each year- that will not change. However, to achieve this we are forced to consider a series of unpalatable options, the only power to prevent this lies with the new Labour government, who despite some modest steps in the right direction,  continue to underfund council services. 

Although we will balance the budget and live within our means, as we always have, we have to operate within the wider financial context. The awful state of public finances after a series of disastrous Conservative governments means that both the demand and the cost for Council services continues to go up and up, whilst funding from the Government doesn’t even come close to matching needs.

Local Government as a sector has been one of the hardest hit in budget cuts since 2010, the Institute for Fiscal Studies reports that between 2010-2024, Councils core funding per person has gone down on average by 26%. This is coupled with another issue- the demand of  social care and children’s Special Educational Needs support is very hard to forecast and costs have been rising fast.

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has conducted a survey of local councils, and is warning of a projected £564 million social care overspend across local government in the next financial year. The combination of increasing costs to provide services alongside the unpredictable increases in demand means that even the most financially sounds councils are struggling to keep up.

Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr Jilly Julian said

We have seen a small increase in funding for some services from the latest budget, unfortunately it is simply a drop in the ocean compared to what’s needed. To make a real difference, there needs to be reform of both the way local councils are financed, and of the social care sector itself.  Councils up and down the country are facing the same challenges, and many who have tried to avoid making unpalatable decisions have gone into financial meltdown.

As we’ve said, here in Stockport we will continue to make the difficult choices that enable us to balance the books and keep Stockport moving forward. We look forward to the upcoming rounds of scrutiny where councillors from all parties can give their valuable feedback on the proposals put on the table, and we will take their insight onboard as we go forward. 

The proposals will enter its first stage of pre-decision scrutiny next week, which will allow councillors from different parties to feed back on the proposals, ahead of the budget being voted on next February.

The new Labour government’s first budget has been given a cautious welcome by the Liberal Democrats leading Stockport Council.

Speaking after the budget announcements were made, Cllr Mark Hunter, Leader of the Council and of the Lib Dems at Stockport Town Hall said: “We are frankly relieved that there were some pieces of good news for Local Government in this budget. The recent period under Tory rule has seen all public services run into the ground, with wild and unfunded spending commitments made with no plan of how to actually deliver them.

“We welcome the more grown up approach Rachel Reeves has brought and I join our party leader, Ed Davey, in congratulating her on being the first female Chancellor of the Exchequer and the first woman to deliver the government’s budget. Make no mistake, however – the huge mess left by the previous Tory governments is clearly going to take years to fix. Local government cannot wait years and we look to the Spending Review planned for next Spring to rebalance our funding and enable us to continue to deliver the local services that residents value so much.

“Whilst it is very welcome, the additional funding for social care is a drop in the ocean and investment in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities will certainly help. But these are the areas that are crippling council budgets up and down the country and longer term, sustainable funding solutions need to be found.”

Cllr Jilly Julian, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources and who will deliver the Council’s budget next February, added: “Whilst we are told we will only get a one year settlement this year, we welcome the promise of multi-year settlements following the Spending Review. This will help us to plan service delivery and even to achieve cost savings in some areas.

“The extension to the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments are most welcome. These will help us to continue to support our most vulnerable residents in a period where they are still experiencing a cost of living crisis. The additional funding for other services really isn’t enough but it is clearly better than the further cuts we had feared and it will all help.

“To make meaningful impact on Stockport Council’s budget position in the next few years we need significant reform to statutory service provision, adequate funding to deliver local services and a growing, multi-year settlement that enables us to plan and improve. The alternative for all councils is managed decline and the threat of insolvency hanging over them.”

The Liberal Democrats successfully held two council seats in a double by-election victory yesterday, maintaining their advantage as the largest party on Stockport Council. After successful local elections in May and a record-breaking general election, the largest party in Stockport has kept up the momentum with a double success. The two victories are even more significant with the council being a minority led Liberal Democrat administration. 

The wins come as the two previous Councillors, Lisa Smart and Tom Morrison, were elected to parliament as MPs for Hazel Grove and Cheadle in the recent general election. Subsequently, they stepped down from their roles at the Town Hall.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Mark Hunter said,

‘I am absolutely delighted to see two brilliant local champions elected today. We knew that our two MPs leaving the council chamber would leave big shoes to fill, but in Huma and Rachel you couldn’t find two people better suited to represent their wards.

The people of Cheadle West & Gatley have put their faith in the Liberal Democrats for over a decade now, and I know Huma will continue our track record of dedication and tireless advocacy for our residents. She’s joining a great team with her new ward colleagues Graham Greenhalgh and Ian hunter. 

The Liberal Democrats now have councillors in every single constituency in the borough, showing our hard work is being supported by people across the whole of Stockport.’

Rachel Bresnahan commanded over 60% of the vote in Bredbury Green and Romiley, finishing nearly 1000 votes ahead of the Conservatives. Meanwhile Huma Kahn has continued the strong Liberal Democrat record in Cheadle West & Gatley, becoming Stockport Councils first Muslim councillor in the process.

Deputy leader of the Council, Mark Roberts said

‘I’m very pleased to welcome Rachel as my new ward colleague too, she has been involved with various projects across the local community including the founding of the Cherry Tree Project in the heart of our ward. We know that Liberal Democrats get elected when they work hard and are embedded in their community, Cllr Bresnahan is the perfect example of this. I look forward to working alongside her and Cllr Angie Clarke for our local residents in Bredbury Green and Romiley.

The Leader of Stockport Council has today invited the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, to visit Stepping Hill Hospital after an announcement this week said that the Government were unwilling to fund the long-awaited repairs to the hospital estate. This comes despite a cross-party motion passing in the Stockport council chamber calling on the Government to provide urgent funds in order to restore the site.

Stepping Hill hospital still features buildings first built in 1905 and has in recent months had various outpatients and wards evacuated due to safety concerns. NHS Foundation staff are currently operating on a 6-week rota that moves services across different buildings to be able to provide the necessary care required, despite the circumstances.

Leader of Stockport Council, Cllr Mark Hunter said

‘We are beyond disappointed at the latest U-turn by the Labour government. Our motion was supported by all parties in the chamber, where many members spoke of the poor state of disrepair the hospital is in. It is quite frankly astonishing that given the circumstances, that this isn’t a priority for the Government. I’m sure Stockport Labour are just as angry as we are at the complete disregard that is being given by the Government.’ 

The Liberal Democrat motion was passed with an amendment from Stockport Labour that acknowledged the Health Secretary’s previous commitment to provide the money needed, but urged him to prioritise Stepping Hill, given the extent of the repairs needed.

Cllr Hunter added

Our two Liberal Democrat MPs, Lisa Smart and Tom Morrison, have been tirelessly working on this in Parliament to try and achieve a resolution. After the latest setback, they, like us, show no sign of giving up.

In July, Wes Streeting said Stepping Hill will get the funding it needs and that he was determined to fix the NHS. It’s sad to see he is now using the language of “difficult decisions” to say he doesn’t see it as a priority.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey visited Stepping Hill hospital with Tom, Lisa and I to understand the issues we’re facing, I think it would be helpful for Wes Streeting to follow in his footsteps. Our motion invited the Health Secretary to visit Stepping Hill and see the crumbling buildings for himself. I’d like to reiterate this invitation now- come and visit the hospital and see for yourself the conditions our residents have to tolerate.