Stockport Council is asking for £40m for the government bosses demand cash to back a 'successful' borough.

Town hall leader Cllr Mark Roberts and chief executive Michael Cullen have written to ministers asking for more funding.

Arguing it is not a bailout, they say their current share of the pot is not fair at a time finance chiefs are grappling with rising social care costs.

According to the council, the borough 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 asking for £28m, which it argues will even things up. Bosses also want £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. Their argument is that it leaves Stockport taxpayers footing the bill needed to cover extra social care costs and tackle deprivation in parts of the borough.

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."

Cllr 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."

In response, an MHCLG Spokesperson said: "We're making £356.3 million available in 2026/27 for Stockport Council so they can deliver high-quality public services for local people – a 10.7% 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"This is alongside fixing an outdated funding system so funding goes where need is greatest, and thanks to our changes nine in ten councils will receive funding that broadly matches their relative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."

The council is not expecting to have to apply for emergency financial support like Bury this year but if it does in future years, the council would then have to pay it back adding more to costs.

Stockport council's deputy leader Cllr Jilly Julian said they were 'trying to pull every lever available to us', telling the LDRS: "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."

From 2026 to 2028, Stockport's expected three-year increase in funding is 7.53%, compared with 15.52% across England and 19.8% for metropolitan boroughs.

With Prime Minister Andy Burnham praising Stockport's success in regenerating the town centre, Cllr 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'. This is 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, Liberal Democrats have argued it is necessary to defend Stockport's countryside and back significant concerns people have in areas like Bramhall. On the coalition, Cllr 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."