Stockport Council has written to government ministers requesting £40m in additional funding, arguing that its current share of national funding is unfair for a borough that has been praised for its regeneration and financial management.
The request, made in a letter from council leader Coun Mark Roberts and chief executive Michael Cullen, is framed not as a bailout but as a call to back a 'successful' borough. The council says its financial chiefs are grappling with rising social care costs while its per-resident funding lags behind the national average.
Funding Gap by the Numbers
According to the council, Stockport currently has around £1,206 available to spend per resident, compared with an average of around £1,424 across England. By 2028/29, the gap is expected to widen further.
The town hall is asking for £28m to even things up, plus £12m over two years to help transform high-cost services and deliver savings. While the level of funding available to the council is expected to increase, town hall bosses said this is with the expectation council tax will have to increase by the same amount, leaving Stockport taxpayers footing the bill for extra social care costs and deprivation in parts of the borough.
Council's Case to Ministers
The letter to the government reads: "We are delivering the UK's largest town centre regeneration programme, building new homes, reforming public services, investing in prevention and managing our finances responsibly. The Prime Minister [Andy Burnham] has repeatedly highlighted Stockport as an example of growth, ambition and delivery."
Coun Roberts and Mr Cullen added: "We are not asking Government to rescue a failing council. We are asking Government to back a successful one. Stockport has delivered savings, controlled spending and redesigned services. We will continue to do so. However, rising statutory demand combined with insufficient funding is creating a structural gap that local action alone cannot sustainably close."
Government Response
In response, a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: "We're making £356.3m available in 2026/27 for Stockport Council so they can deliver high-quality public services for local people – a 10.7 per cent increase compared to 2024. This is alongside fixing an outdated funding system so funding goes where need is greatest, and thanks to our changes nine in ten councils will receive funding that broadly matches their relative need, compared to only around a third before."
Stockport's deputy leader Coun Jilly Julian said the council was 'trying to pull every lever available to us', adding: "It's not how you slice the pie. It's the fact the pie is not big enough. Every local government body is crying out for more funding and particularly Stockport is since the last settlement."
She said: "The settlement we got is materially worse compared to the settlement equivalent authorities received. While it did increase our spending power, it was an increase that didn't touch the sides of the increasing cost of delivering statutory services. It was less than half the average increase of equivalent councils. We are all facing this same pressure but the impact is disproportionately worse."
Comparisons and Political Row
From 2026 to 2028, Stockport's expected three-year increase in funding is 7.53 per cent, compared with 15.52 per cent across England and 19.8 per cent for metropolitan boroughs. The council is not expecting to have to apply for emergency financial support like Bury this year, but if it does in future years, it would have to pay it back, adding more to costs.
With Prime Minister Andy Burnham praising Stockport's success in regenerating the town centre, Coun Julian stressed their case was non-political and hoped the government would 'help us before that help becomes a lot more expensive'.
Stockport Labour MP Navendu Mishra has defended the government, accusing the Liberal Democrats in Stockport of ignoring 'the role they played in creating the challenges local government is still working to overcome', referring to the party's time in power in coalition with the Conservatives from 2010 to 2015.
While he said Stockport should get a fairer settlement and the council's financial concerns should be heard and considered, he added: "It is also important that Stockport Council takes responsibility for its own decisions and how it spends taxpayer's money. While rising concerns about funding pressures, the Liberal Democrat administration has continued to pursue costly legal challenges against housing developments. At a time when almost 10,000 families are waiting for social housing in Stockport, residents deserve a council that prioritises delivering the homes our borough needs and ensures public money is used effectively."
While legal challenges from greenbelt developers come at a cost, the Lib Dems have argued it is necessary to defend Stockport's countryside and back significant concerns people have in areas like Bramhall. On the coalition, Coun Julian said: "The argument is almost old enough to get a driver's licence. My son is studying the coalition government as part of his GCSE History. I am determined to stick up for Stockport's needs and the needs for years to come which I would argue is more important to most of our residents."
