Every local authority in Greater Manchester is preparing to raise council tax bills from April in a bid to keep services running.
In the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the budgets of town halls right across the city-region have been hit hard, with some councils admitting to having to plug huge gaps in their finances, and while the government has already paid out millions in emergency funding, council leaders have said that this money does not go far enough.
This is why the government has allowed authorities to increase residents’ council tax bills by up to 4.99%.
Although a price hike has now been signed off by all 10 local authorities in Greater Manchester this week, many leaders – some of whom are begrudgingly agreeing to the maximum uplift – have stated that they see council tax as a “regressive” way of funding local services.
But despite the financial hardships many local residents are facing as a result of the pandemic, council tax bills will rise from April.
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Here’s a breakdown of how council tax bills will change in the coming year.
GMCA / Geograph
Manchester
Manchester City Council has today voted in favour of the 2021 Budget and has signed-off on raising council tax by 4.99% for residents in Manchester.
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As part of the sign-off, bills will look to raise £8.5 million and prevent cuts to frontline services like adult social care, and Sir Richard Leese – Leader of Manchester City Council – has also promised that the council will continue to invest in affordable housing and becoming a zero carbon city.
The annual bill for Band D properties will go up by £71.13 to £1,425.46.
Salford
As part of its “no cuts budget” – which was approved by councillors in the borough last month – the neighbouring authority of Salford will increase council tax by 3.99% in April, so for Band A properties, the most common property banding in the city, the annual council tax bill will rise by £50.30, taking the total to £1,343.29.
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Conservative councillors in Salford had called for a “freeze” on council tax, saying it would spend £4.5 million of its reserves as a “one-off”, instead of “hitting people’s pockets”.
Bolton
In Bolton – the only Conservative-controlled town hall in Greater Manchester – a 3.8% council tax rise was signed off last month and it will see Band A properties, which make up more than 40% of the overall tax base in the town and wider borough, pay an extra 74p a week.
The assumptions built into the 2021/22 Budget also include a 1.8% increase for the general council tax levy in the borough, and 2% increase for the adult social care precept.
Bury
Due to Bury Council’s finances being hit to the tune of £43.5 million over the next three years as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but despite attempts by opposition parties in the borough to amend the Budget, a 4.7% tax rise has been approved for Bury residents in the coming year.
This means that Band D households will pay an extra £31 from April, taking their annual bills to £1,643.31.
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Oldham
Once again, as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and forming part of measures to plug a £27.6 million shortfall, a council tax rise of 2.99% – alongside and a five year capital investment programme – was approved by Oldham Council yesterday, meaning that some residents will see their bills rise by up to £30 year.
Now signed-off by councillors in the borough, those living in Band A properties will have to pay an extra £2.78 a month from April.
This rise in Oldham the lowest in Greater Manchester, however.
Wikimedia CommonsGeograph
Rochdale
Although opposition councillors had tried to force a freeze on council tax – something which had been mooted by leader of the Labour-led council, Councillor Alan Brett, last summer – plans to raise council tax in Rochdale by the maximum 4.99% were signed off this week.
For Band D properties, council tax will go up by £82.10 for the year, bringing the annual bill to £1,727.37.
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Stockport
A 3.5% council tax rise was signed off by Stockport councillors in early February.
This means the owners of an average Band D property will pay just under £60 extra for services provided by the local authority, bringing the annual bill to £1,749.90, but unlike other local authorities in Greater Manchester, the general element of council tax accounts for the majority of the rise – 2% – with adult social care making up the remaining 1.5%.
Tameside
Council tax in Tameside will increase by the maximum 4.99% from April.
In the move – which will see residents’ bills rise by at least £50 – councillors in Tameside say that increasing council tax by 1.99%, and the precept for adult social care by 3%, will raise nearly £5 million for the town hall in its COVID-19 recovery.
For a typical Band A property, this increase in council tax will equate to an extra £50.83 per year.
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Trafford
With town hall bosses admitting that savings of around £11.1 million will be needed to balance the books in the coming year as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Trafford Council has approved plans to hike council tax by 4.99% in order to raise more than £5 million.
This means that those living in s Band C home will see a £73 increase in their council tax bill from £1,460.46 per year, to £1,533.34 from April.
Wigan
Wigan Council has signed-off on a 3.99% council tax rise from April.
This will be the first rise in council tax prices for seven years, and only the second time in the last decade it has risen, with most of the money going towards social care costs and Councillor Nazia Rahman – Cabinet Member for Finance at Wigan Council – saying the rise would be manageable for some, but it would “take a toll on the tiny budgets” of the majority of people in the borough.
It will cost Band A properties – the most common banding in Wigan – an extra £35 a year.
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The above sign-offs for the council tax hike by each local authority this week follows Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s unveiling of his 2021 Budget to the House of Commons earlier this week, and also comes after it was confirmed last month that Mayor Andy Burnham and the ten borough leaders of Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) had made a unanimous decision to suspend the ‘Mayoral General Precept’, which is part of the overall council tax.
The mayoral precept – which funds the fire service, rough sleeping accommodation and free bus passes for young people – will be frozen at last year’s rates.
This means that Band B and Band D properties will pay £70.73 and £90.95 for the year respectively, from 1st April, and alongside that, the police precept – which is separate to both council tax and the mayoral precept – will rise by £10 to an annual payment of £208.30 for a Band D property.
Trams to be suspended as tracks are replaced on a section of one of the world’s busiest light-rail routes
Emily Sergeant
Trams are set to be suspended this month as work to replace the tracks on a section of one of the busiest light-rail routes is carried out.
As the next phase of the ongoing £150m investment into Greater Manchester’s tram network gets under way this month, essential track replacement work is set to be be carried out in a bid to make the network ‘safer’ and ‘more resilient and reliable’ for years to come, and this includes a section of track which is considered to be one of the busiest light-rail routes in the world.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that it will replace around 1.6km of track – some parts of which are more than 30 years old – at Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield, as well as working on a separate section on the Eccles line at the same time.
The track between Trafford Bar and St Peter’s Square, in particular, is one of the busiest sections of light-rail in the world, as one tram passes through every 30 seconds for 20 hours a day, seven days a week.
As the nature of the work required where the Eccles and Altrincham lines meet at Cornbrook is considered to be so ‘complex’, it will be the first time a type of specialist lifting equipment has been used in the UK.
Tracks are set to be replaced on a section of one of the world’s busiest light-rail routes / Credit: The Manc Group | TfGM
More than 3,000 tonnes of new rail and 800 new concrete sleepers will be fitted as part of the scheme, with a team of 70 engineers working across three sites throughout the summer to get the work done as ‘quickly and efficiently’ as possible.
Once installed, the track will be carefully adjusted and tested to ensure it meets strict safety standards and trams travel smoothly and efficiently along it.
While the work is being done, no trams will run on the Eccles, Trafford Centre, and Altrincham lines.
Services on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines will terminate at Firswood, while services on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square.
As is to be expected, there will be some disruption on the affected lines – with replacement buses due to run between each required stop, accompanied by special event bus services running for the cricket at Old Trafford on 26 and 31 July.
“The work at Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield is taking place on one of the busiest stretches of tram track in the country,” explained Ian Davies, who is the Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM. “Some sections are more than 30 years old, with 40-tonne trams running every 30 seconds at peak times – that level wear and tear takes its toll, which is why this work is so important.
“It’s one of the most complex parts of the network to access, requiring a carefully planned approach to carry out the work safely and efficiently.
“We’re sorry for the disruption. We know it can be annoying, and while these essential upgrades take place we will do everything we can to keep people moving.”
Normal services are due to resume from Monday 3 August, but until then, everything you need to know is on the Bee Network website here.
Featured Image – Janus Boye
News
Kings of Leon at Co-op Live Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
American rock band Kings of Leon are making their way to Manchester for a second visit to Co-op Live as part of their current EU/UK arena tour.
Formed in 1999 by brothers Caleb, Nathan, Jared, plus their cousin Matthew Followill, the rock band has gone on to achieve nine top 40 singles and six UK number one albums.
The rockers have two singles in Spotify’s Billions Club, including their standout hit ‘Sex on Fire’, which has amassed over 2 billion streams and ‘Use Somebody’ with 1.2 billion – two tracks that helped skyrocket them from cult favourites here in Britain to global superstars.
This four-piece’s latest LP, Can We Please Have Fun, dropped mid-2024 and knowing how energetic crowds were at the previous Manc gig, it’s safe to say we’ve got this covered.
They even let us know the England score last time out (read our full review), too.
Gig guide – Kings of Leon at Co-op Live, Manchester
Kings of Leon UK tour dates
Fri 3 July – Glasgow, UK – Bellahouston Park
Sat 4 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Mon 6 July – Leeds, UK – First Direct Bank Arena
Are there any tickets left for Kings of Leon at Co-op Live?
If you’re wondering where you’ll ‘Find Me’ on Saturday 4 July, it is probably watching these four relatives play their two decades’ worth of hits at Co-op Live.
Don’t ‘Waste a Moment’ as there’s only a limited number of tickets left if you’re after catching a glimpse of Kings of Leon live – get yours HERE.
Kings of Leon are gearing up for their Manchester gig at Co-op Live this July (Credit: Press shot)
Kings of Leon setlist for 2026 UK tour
These American rockers have been performing all across Europe, switching up a couple of songs at each show; however, the hits below have featured at most of their appearances.
Slow Night, So Long
Waste a Moment
Find Me
On Call
Radioactive
The Bucket
Revelry
Manhattan
Use Somebody
Wait For M
Split Screen
Closer
Molly’s Chambers
Razz
MyParty
Supersoaker
Fans
Back Down South
Seen
Pyro
Black Thumbnail
To Space
Knocked Up
Sex on Fire
What are the stage times for Kings of Leon in Manchester?
Doors for Kings of Leon at Co-op Live in Manchester are set to open at 6pm with a kick-off time of 7pm from a huge indie rock band.
Supporting the US rockers is a band who have received comparisons to Kings of Leon, the loud-and-proud Scottish stars The Snuts, known for their tracks like ‘Glasgow’, ‘Elephants’ and ‘Maybe California’.
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Tickets for Kings of Leon’s UK tour dates are selling out fast. (Credit: Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons)
The Manc -
5th March 2021 
