The Scrutiny Committee of Trafford Council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, to discuss the draft budget proposals for the upcoming financial year and to review the cleanliness of the borough's highways and greenspaces. The meeting will also cover the committee's work programme.

Draft Budget Proposals 2027/28

The committee is scheduled to receive the draft budget proposals for 2027/28 from the Director of Finance. The report pack indicates that this discussion will cover the background to the budget, including the council's financial challenges over the past 15 years, which have seen over £370 million in savings and budget reductions delivered since 2010. It will also detail the activity supporting budget planning and progress, forecasts for 2027/28 to 2029/30, key budget assumptions, and the status of reserves. The council has faced a long-term structural funding gap driven by demand growth, inflation, and increases in the National Living Wage outpacing funding increases. Historic Council Tax freezes have also impacted funding, with Trafford reportedly receiving around £18 million less per year than it otherwise would have. The loss of the Manchester Airport dividend has removed a further £6 million annual income stream. The report pack highlights that around £30 million of reserves have been used since the pandemic to support budgets, leaving limited one-off resources available. The proposals aim to bridge a significant budget gap, with a three-year savings programme of £14.8 million outlined.

Cleanliness of Highways and Greenspaces

A presentation is scheduled to cover the cleanliness of highways and greenspaces across Trafford. This will encompass a range of services including the cleaning of gullies, sweeping streets, emptying litter bins, seasonal spraying of weeds, leaf clearance, graffiti removal, clearing fly-tipped waste, collecting household waste at the kerbside, cleaning greenspaces, and rewilding initiatives. The report pack details that the council manages approximately 60,000 gullies and that there has been a significant increase in reactive service requests, with a 92% rise observed between nine months of 2026 data and 2022. Fly-tipping accounted for 1,808 additional reports in this period. The report also outlines the methodology for gully cleansing, which involves a risk-based delivery approach, and the use of technology such as the Confirm asset management system for digital tracking. Street sweeping operations involve mechanical sweepers covering the borough's roads and footpaths, with a focus on coordinated efforts for major events. The approach to litter bins includes planned, reactive, targeted, and event-based emptying, with around 1,300 bins strategically located. The report also addresses seasonal activities like leaf clearing and weed spraying, noting the use of AI technology for targeted weed control and the ongoing debate surrounding glyphosate. Graffiti removal is categorised as offensive or non-offensive, with different response times for each. The report details the delivery approach for fly-tipping removal, with targets for hazardous/obstructive waste and general waste, and provides comparative data across Greater Manchester, showing Trafford with the lowest incidents of fly-tipping. Household bin collections are also discussed, including the management of 'side waste' and the charging for garden waste services, which has seen an increase in subscriber numbers. Finally, the report touches on rewilding initiatives in parks and highway verges, aiming to improve biodiversity and ecological value.

Committee Work Programme

The committee is also scheduled to note its Work Programme for the remainder of the Municipal Year. This will provide an overview of planned future discussions and scrutiny activities.