Job cuts are being considered at Stockport council as part of wider efforts to plug a £20m funding gap.

The Lib Dem-controlled council runs more than 800 services across the borough. Its finances have come under extreme pressure in recent years.

A new report reveals the town hall is looking at the potential of reducing its workforce to balance the books as it prepares to set its annual budget.

Part of the council's budget plan includes making £1.5m of 'productivity' savings to its corporate and support services.

The report states council is planning to 'integrate functions with partners' and 'maximise automation opportunities and new technology' to save the cash.

It includes savings from 'robust corporate governance including vacancy management, service reviews, restructures and efficiencies including, modelling smaller teams in some areas by maximising digital technology and automation'.

The report adds: "These proposals will impact small numbers of our workforce and wherever possible this will be achieved through natural turnover."

It comes as bosses at the town hall are growing increasingly concerned about the level of support it is getting from the Labour government.

Stockport looks set to miss out on a slice of the government's Recovery Grant again this year, a scheme which dished out £600m to councils around the country in 2025.

It sparked dismay in the town hall after recent deprivation data showed that Stockport has the most deprived part of Greater Manchester in Lancashire Hill.

Stockport council is also concerned about the long-term outlook of financial support, with a budget deficit set at around £75m over the next five years.

Councillors in Stockport discussed the situation at a town-hall scrutiny committee meeting last night (January 27).

Coun Jilly Julian, deputy leader and the lead on finance at the council, introduced the report along with an update on the council's overall financial position.

Her comments come in light of fears that Stockport has been 'left behind' in the Labour government's latest finance settlement.

Coun Julian said: "The assumption that we need to work to is that Stockport is worse off, and has been the collateral damage of the local government finance settlement approach that's been taken.

"The net impact of all of that is the need to look across each portfolio area and identify where we can make savings, where income can be increased, and there's opportunities to review and find more cost-effective ways of working."

Stockport's budget proposals are currently being discussed by councillors and will go to a vote in the council chamber in February.

Categories: