FINANCE chiefs are confident that Cheshire West and Chester Council will balance the books despite facing a number of risks – including Brexit.

Cllr David Armstrong, CWAC cabinet member for legal and finance, told members at Thursday’s full council meeting that the local authority is faring better than many other councils financially.

But the Labour member for Winsford Swanlow and Dene insisted that CWAC cannot be complacent, with a number of potential risks lying ahead.

“The biggest [risk] must be that we have no idea what the consequences of the risk of leaving the European Union will have for Cheshire West and Chester,” said Cllr Armstrong.

“There is also the Chancellor’s budget for this year, and from our financial perspective, what is in the December settlement.

“In the last three years, these have never improved our position – but I always live in hope.”

CWAC is also waiting for a Government report – known as a Green Paper – that will consider how to address the underfunding of adult social care, as well as further details on new rules regarding business rate retention.

Cllr Armsrtong added that he is optimistic the council will balance the books over the next three years – but that he believes it ‘will come at a price’.

He added: “The £57 million cut in our rate support grant is continuing to put a huge strain on our finances, especially as we struggle to take out the last £12 million.

“We are on target for 2018-19, and we appear to be so for 2019-20, but we still need to find an additional £8 million after that.

“We are in a much better position than many other authorities, some of whom are even facing insolvency. Many face draconian cuts this year.

“I would argue that we are in a sound position this year because CWAC, under Cllr Samantha Dixon’s leadership, has been prepared to take the difficult and challenging decisions – always keeping to our promise to protect the vulnerable, those in social care, and children and families.”

Cllr Lynn Riley, leader of CWAC’s Conservative opposition, also praised the way council purse strings had been managed by officers – but raised concerns that the council might not meet its savings targets this year.

“If we are paying tribute to anybody in this council chamber I think it should be to our most excellent team of financial managers who have literally kept us on a straight and narrow trajectory since day one in very challenging times,” she said.

“I think we all appreciate how precarious the budget is. I think what would be very helpful for all members of this council, however, is to have an accurate picture of the slippage in the savings proposal.

“It’s only last month that we had the performance management report for the period to cabinet, where there was quite a sizeable delay in achieving some of the savings targets that had already been put forward by this administration.

“That obviously puts additional pressure on subsequent years’ budgets, and again at a time when I am sure you are already planning a council tax rise, it would be very useful to know that those savings proposals happen in the timeframe that you originally planned them.”

A report issued to cabinet in September said that based on its performance between April and June, CWAC is forecast to deliver 75 per cent of its proposed savings, compared to the council’s target of 90 per cent.

However, the report added that when taking into consideration performance trends from previous years and budget changes proposed at the first budget review, CWAC can still deliver more than 90 per cent of its proposed savings by the end of the year.