Bury Council Plans £20m Savings Amid Budget Gap 2026

Key Points

• Without any action taken on the problem, Bury Council faces a budget gap of £20m next financial year; however, with the measures that have been identified, the budget gap can be reduced to around £9.6m.
• Among the proposals under consultation, there are £50 a year garden waste collection charges, trimming of some street lights at night time, cuts to school crossing patrols, increases to leisure fees and lifting the cap on home-care charging.
• According to the proposals made by the council, it will be keeping only the six school crossings identified as being high priority; 32 crossing points could be closed and 15 jobs eliminated.
• Among two options for the street lights, it includes turning off alternate street lamps from midnight to 6 a.m. or from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., excluding important places.
• Leisure membership fee could go up by 20% in 2027/28, increasing from £35.75 to £42.90 per month, followed by an additional 20% increase in 2028/29.
• The council assumes a 4.99% council tax increase in its budget-making process, although it does not rule out applying for an increase beyond that through Exceptional Financial Support.

Bury (Manchester Mirror) October 25, 2026 — Bury Council has published further details of savings proposals that could lead to charges for garden waste collections, fewer school crossing patrols, some street lights being switched off overnight, higher leisure fees and changes to home-care charges, as it seeks to close a budget gap estimated at £20m.

As reported by the Bury Times, the local authority believes measures already identified can reduce the shortfall to around £9.6m, but leaders say further decisions are required to balance the budget for the coming financial year. The council’s finance lead, Councillor Sean Thorpe, has previously described some of the potential measures as “regrettable” and “distasteful”, while saying that “all options” must be considered.

The proposals have now been set out in the council’s 2027/28 budget consultation, which is live on its website until Monday, November 30. Bury Council says the consultation asks residents about their priorities, the possible impact of the proposals and their current use of council services, and stresses that no final decisions have yet been taken.

What Could Change for Garden Waste?

Bury Council is considering introducing a charge for garden waste collections using the existing brown bin service. The consultation assumes a £50 annual charge, which the council says would be in line with charges used by other councils, although it says the final amount would be subject to a future council decision.

If approved, the charge is expected to be implemented in 2028. Households wishing to continue receiving garden waste collections would need to subscribe and receive a permit, which could take the form of a sticker displayed on their brown bin.

Residents who do not subscribe would still be able to place food waste in their brown bin and take garden waste to their local tip. The council has acknowledged that properties with community gardens or shared waste facilities may require a different approach, and says these circumstances would be considered through the consultation and any future service design.

On concerns that a charge could increase fly-tipping, the council says potential impacts would be considered before any decision. It adds that evidence from other local authority areas with similar charges “does not show a consistent increase in fly-tipping”.

Could Street Lights Be Switched Off?

The council is consulting on changes to street lighting, described as “trimming”, which would involve switching off certain lights at particular times and locations. Two options have been put forward: turning off alternate street lights between midnight and 6am, or between 1am and 5am.

Under the current thinking, major junctions, collision hotspots, town and district centres, CCTV-covered areas and locations with higher levels of crime or anti-social behaviour would be exempt. The council says it would carry out a strategic review to identify suitable locations, assess potential impacts and determine which exemptions are needed before any scheme is implemented.

The consultation states that the proposed hours are based on periods when fewer people use roads and paths and when the last trains and buses run. It also says there is “no statistical link” between street light trimming and increased crime, anti-social behaviour or traffic accidents.

As reported by the Bury Times, the council says any implemented scheme could include temporary variations for events or road closures. The council’s own consultation material describes the proposal as intended to reduce energy consumption, associated costs and carbon emissions.

Which School Crossings Could Go?

Bury Council is proposing a “significant reduction” in school crossing patrols. Under the proposal, 32 crossing points could be scrapped and 15 staff roles deleted.

The authority says it assesses school crossings every two years and rates them as low, medium or high priority, taking into account pedestrian and traffic volumes, vehicle types and speeds, visibility, lighting, road markings and the age of children using the crossing. It is proposing to retain only the six crossings rated high risk, meaning six medium-priority and 26 low-priority crossings would no longer exist.

Three additional crossings still need to be reviewed. The council says safety “remains a key consideration”, but adds that “parents and carers are ultimately responsible for ensuring children are safe travelling to schools”.

Where patrols are removed, the council says other safety measures could be introduced, including automated crossings, school streets, walking buses and independent travel training. The Bury Times reports that these measures are being presented as possible mitigations rather than confirmed replacements.

How Much Could Leisure Fees Rise?

The council is proposing a 20% increase in leisure fees in 2027/28 to help cover the cost of running the service. A monthly membership would rise from £35.75 to £42.90.

A further 20% increase is proposed for 2028/29, which would take the monthly fee to £51.48. After that, the council says fees would continue to rise at the current annual rate of 10%.

Bury Council says its leisure estate faces “substantial financial pressures” from operating costs, maintenance liabilities and the opening of the new Radcliffe Leisure Centre. It also cites “significant remedial works” needed at Ramsbottom Leisure Centre, which operates at a net annual loss.

The council says it does not want to close Ramsbottom Leisure Centre and is instead looking to support it through increased income at its other leisure centres.

What Is Proposed for Home Care Charges?

The council is also proposing to remove the current £533.87 weekly cap for people receiving domiciliary care through the council. If implemented, people supported in this way would be asked to meet the full cost of their care.

Bury Council says any charge would remain subject to a financial assessment, meaning people without sufficient means would not be asked to pay more. It says the value of a person’s main home would not be included in the assessment.

The council estimates that the change would affect 2% of residents and, if approved, would come into effect in April next year. It says advice and support would be available and that anyone affected would be contacted directly.

Could Council Tax Rise Further?

Bury Council says it has drawn up its budget on the assumption of a 4.99% council tax increase. That would take the council’s share of the charge for a Band A property from £1,411 to £1,481 a year, while a Band C property would rise from £1,881 to £1,975.

Residents also pay a precept to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, so the final bill would be higher. The council says each 1% increase in council tax generates about £1.3m, and that a lower increase would require further cuts to services.

The consultation asks residents whether they would support a higher increase, which would provide recurrent income, and whether the council should borrow more to bridge the funding gap. The council says every £1m borrowed would cost about £110,000 a year to repay over a 20-year loan; closing the current £9.6m gap through borrowing would therefore create more than £1m in additional annual costs over two decades.

A third option is selling assets to create one-off funding. The council describes this as a temporary solution and says further savings would be needed in future years.

What Is Exceptional Financial Support?

The council’s executive last week approved entering discussions with the Government over Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) to help address the remaining gap. EFS can give councils greater flexibility in meeting expenses, including permission to borrow, flexibility over capital receipts from asset sales, or exceptional council tax flexibility.

As reported by the Bury Times, council leaders say their preferred approach would be capital receipt flexibility, but they cannot fully rule out a council tax increase above the referendum limit of 4.99%. Councillor Thorpe has repeatedly said the authority is not “seeking” such an increase.

Speaking when the consultation launched, Councillor Thorpe said residents should have the opportunity to influence decisions before the final budget is agreed. He also said EFS should not be viewed as a government bailout, adding:

“It gives councils the necessary breathing space to continue delivering essential services and set a legally required balanced budget. It is very much a last resort.”

Have Youth Service Cuts Been Ruled Out?

The council had previously considered cuts to youth services, but says it will not now proceed with this after finding an alternative way to fund them. The BBC reported earlier in October that youth service cuts had been among the plans floated by the authority, alongside green waste charges and changes to street lighting.

The council’s earlier financial position report had listed youth services among the areas to be consulted on, alongside green waste, school crossing patrols, street lighting and adult social care payments. The latest consultation details instead focus on the other proposed measures, with the council saying it has identified an alternative funding route for youth services.

What Happens Next?

Responses to the consultation will be considered alongside financial and service evidence before the council sets its final budget in February 2027. The consultation is open through the council’s online portal until November 30, 2026.

Bury Council says rising demand and increasing costs, particularly in children’s and adult social care, have contributed to its financial challenge. It has identified proposals worth £10.7m towards reducing the deficit, while further measures are needed to find the remaining £9.586m.

Background of the Development

Bury Council’s financial pressure has developed over several budget cycles. Its auditor’s annual report for 2025/26 noted that the authority’s position depended on delivering more than £16m of new savings proposals, including £8.260m during 2025/26.

Earlier this month, the Bury Times reported that the council was running down reserves amid a £20.3m budget gap, and that a council-wide voluntary redundancy scheme had been opened as part of efforts to find savings. The council subsequently confirmed it would enter Government talks over Exceptional Financial Support, while continuing to examine income-raising and cost-cutting proposals.

The current consultation follows scrutiny meetings at which councillors raised concerns about possible fly-tipping from garden waste charges and road safety implications from reductions to crossing patrols and street lighting.

Prediction: How Could This Affect Bury Residents?

If the proposals are approved in their current form, Bury households could face higher direct costs and changes to everyday services. Garden waste collection could become a paid subscription service from 2028, while leisure users could see monthly membership costs rise substantially over two years.

Parents and carers may need to plan differently for school journeys if lower-priority crossing patrols are removed, particularly where alternative safety measures have not yet been introduced. Residents using overnight streets could notice changes to lighting, although the council says key junctions, collision hotspots, centres and higher-risk areas would be exempt.

People receiving council-arranged domiciliary care could face the greatest financial impact if the weekly cap is removed, although the council says means-testing would protect those without sufficient resources. Council tax payers could also see bills rise by at least 4.99% under the council’s planning assumption, with a higher increase still not ruled out if Exceptional Financial Support includes tax flexibility.

The consultation gives residents until November 30 to respond, and the council says it will use the feedback, financial evidence and service information before making final budget decisions in February 2027.