Radical plans for a 'once in a generation' overhaul of Cheshire East Council have been submitted to the government in an effort to help plug a £100m black hole, with chiefs admitting the authority can 'no longer do everything' and that some services will disappear altogether.

The council's corporate policy committee recently approved a transformation plan, which the authority called an 'important milestone' in its attempt to become financially stable.

The cash-strapped council needs to save £100m by 2028 to balance its books and was recently granted exceptional financial support from the government of £17.6m.

But one of the key requirements for receiving the emergency funding was that it produce an improvement and transformation plan and submit it to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

In the programme, six areas have been identified and over the coming months the council said it will develop business cases for each one. The six programme areas outline financial benefits of between £59m-£91m with an additional £14m from digital projects.

These focus on:

• Workplace: including looking at how the organisation will operate in the future.
• Social care: considering how the council supports children and adults who have the highest need for social care services.
• Place: seeking to transform the council's approach to improving our local economy, maximising the council's assets and reviewing its approach to some place-based services, such as exploring automatic number plate recognition enforcement.
• Early intervention, prevention and customer: supporting residents to become more resilient, self-sufficient and avoid crisis, alongside managing long-term demand for services;
• Digital: delivering digital projects that will benefit the council and residents through technology.
• Special projects: projects linked to the financial and strategic objectives of the council.

Council leader Nick Mannion, said: "It is not just about reduced spending – it's about making meaningful impact for those who need our services, while addressing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, whilst living within our means.

Council leader Nick Mannion. (Photo: Cheshire East Council),

"This will lead to changes in some areas and the council reducing, or even stopping, some services. We simply do not have the money to do everything, everywhere any more."

At the recent council meeting, a report revealed council officers and consultants had identified 100 opportunities with potential savings in the range of £59m to £91m over the next four financial years. Some are in areas the council is already known to be looking at, such as the possibility of three-weekly black bin collections and remodelling library provision.

Others include a hike in fees and charges for council services and a review of properties that have been renovated or extended to uplift council tax bands. Another aim is to cut the use of high-cost agency staff.

Cllr Mannion said that as leader of the council he 'recognised' that transformation on the scale identified represented a 'new and difficult challenge'.

He added: "I absolutely believe that the transformation plan represents a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine the organisation and how we operate. We must listen to and reset the expectations between the council and our residents and modernise council services, at pace."

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