Bolton Council is encouraging residents to comment on proposals to find £8.2m worth of savings in 2025/6 and 2026/7.
According to an independent review this year by the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge group, the council’s finances are better positioned than many local authorities across the country.
But the council still needs to find ways to meet its legal responsibility to deliver a balanced budget, whilst protecting vital frontline services.
The financial situation it faces remains challenging as a result of uncertainty over future funding, rising costs due to inflation and increased demand for services.
Over half the money the council spends pays for support for children and adults, like care and accommodation.
These are statutory duties that the council has a legal duty to provide, making it challenging to find savings.
Proposed cuts would come from across a range of council departments and services.
Among them are suggestions to review contracts with service providers, increase income from council assets like Bolton Market and the libraries, and not to fill some job vacancies.
No final decisions on cuts have been made and the results of the consultation will be considered before the Full Council debates the proposed budget next February.
The leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Nick Peel, said:
“Thanks to proper planning and fiscal responsibility over many years, Bolton Council is on a sound financial footing compared to many other local authorities.
“We also hope that future government settlements will give us more financial certainty.
“But we must be honest and accept that difficult decisions about cuts are unavoidable if we are to protect the council’s finances and vital frontline services for the long term.
“I urge everyone in Bolton to take part in this consultation and want to assure you that councillors will see your responses.”
The consultation runs until Monday, 6 January and is available online.
The council’s report on the budget is available on the council website.