Knutsford Town Council has set its annual budget for the 2025/26 financial year, with a gross expenditure of £1,036,291. The precept, which is collected as part of council tax, has been set at £816,860 meaning a Band D household will pay £11.08 per month to fund the work of the Town Council, an increase of £1.09 per month on the 2024/25 amount.
The Town Council is responsible for a range of services and activity to support the local community, including:
- Community grants and funding services like Citizens Advice
- Community events such as the Music Festival, Pumpkin Path, Christmas Light Switch with new events Paint Knutsford and an outdoor cinema event planned for 2025
- Maintaining local assets such as Knutsford Cemetery, Wallwood, Public Toilets, Higher Town Green and the Library Gardens
- Delivering the Town Ranger service, including this year hiring an apprentice
- Managing Knutsford Market Hall which is currently undergoing a refurbishment
Following funding for the first stage design of an active travel path from the Moor to Parkgate Lane, the council has allocated just under £40,000 to develop the technical design which will enable it to then seek funding for the delivery of the path.
Staffing costs have increased both due to the changes in employer national insurance contributions, which unlike Cheshire East Council the Town Council is not compensated for, and investment in a new staffing structure which will enable the council to deliver its ambitious strategic plan for the community whilst ensuring the council’s core administration is resilient.
The budget also makes provision for taking proposals for a Business Improvement District through to a referendum with local businesses, which could see an additional £2m investment managed by an independent board of traders over a five-year period to support the vitality of the town centre as a place to do business.
“Every penny in our budget is spent on Knutsford, from running events that bring the community together to undertaking small projects that make the town more special such as delivering our Nature Action Plan or celebrating our heritage” said Town Mayor Cllr Colin Banks.
“With the continued reduction in service levels from Cheshire East Council we are finding it more and more necessary to take care of things locally, and our budget enables us to work to make Knutsford a better place to live, work, visit and do business”
The full council budget can be found at: www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/council/finance
