Manchester's streets are about to get a lot cleaner amid unexpected bins U-turn
Manchester's streets are about to get a lot cleaner. It's thanks to an unexpected £5m boost to council coffers.
The town hall has announced it has received a £5.4m rebate from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's waste reserve. Bosses say they will use £4.6m of the cash to clean streets, tackle flytipping, spruce up green spaces and collect leaves.
Another £400,000 will be used to overturn a decision taken last year to start charging for replacement recycling bins, which would have applied from this April. The remaining £338,000 or so will be spent on improved enforcement of mould and damp in privately-rented homes.
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It's thought more than three-quarters of Mancs who responded to the budget consultation said they wanted more money spent on street cleaning.
'Residents told us loud and clear in our recent budget consultation that keeping neighbourhoods clean was their top priority and we have responded to that with this extra investment,' Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, executive member for finance, said. 'We are pleased to be in a position where we can deliver a budget that works for Manchester people.'
The council's finances also have been helped by an increase in government grants to the city. However, although the authority has received the multi-million-pound boon, it's still set to increase council tax by 4.99 percent — the most it legally can without a referendum.
That's because its finances remain in a precarious position, as councillors need to make £18m of 'savings' to balance the books. Coun Akbar has insisted frontline services will not be hit, with 'efficiency savings and income generation' being used to bridge the gap.
Council leader Bev Craig added: 'The improved funding under the current government is a step in the right direction. Together with our careful planning, it means we're able to bring forward a budget which looks to make lives better and improve the city.'
The budget is set to be approved by the council's Labour executive next week (February 19), before all councillors vote on the plans on February 28.
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