Cheshire West Budget Consultation

From Cheshire West and Chester (CWaC):

Help shape the Council’s budget and your local services

We want your views on how the Council can set a budget for next year that reflects your priorities and supports our 2024-28 Borough Plan: “Play your part towards a stronger future”

Each year, the Council spends more than £1 billion on services for residents, communities and businesses. This includes services for individuals who need additional support, such as social care and homelessness – and services which everybody needs and uses, like bin collections, improving our parks, and regenerating local areas.

Like many councils, we’re facing rising costs and growing demand. It is not possible to do everything we would like to do. We need to focus resources on what matters most to local people, and continue to rethink how our services are delivered.

We currently face a funding gap of around £40 million over the next four years – including over £20m in the next financial year. This makes it more important than ever to make sure the budget available is used in ways that reflect the needs and priorities of our residents, communities and businesses.

Budgets are about choices – and we want your help to make the right ones.

Get involved:

• Try our budget simulator to tell us how you would set the budget

• Share your views on our proposed approach

• Complete an Easy Read survey  that uses simpler words and pictures

The consultation is open until Wednesday, 2 December 2026.

Your feedback will help shape how public money funds local services.