Council tax in Rochdale may rise 4.99%. Budget cuts of £5.5M are needed. Changes to bins, crematorium and bowling greens on table.
Bin collections will remain unchanged. However, replacing bins may now cost £30. This charge applies only if you received a free bin recently, specifically within the last five years for the same bin type.
The council is seeking public feedback on this proposed bin charge and is currently consulting the public. They are also considering changes for Middleton Crematorium, as well as potential alterations to funding for bowling green upkeep.
The town hall currently spends £60,000 annually on bowling greens. The plan is to reduce this by £30,000. Bowling clubs would then be responsible for covering the remaining costs, meaning they would handle more maintenance.
Middleton Crematorium has an old cremator. The council has stated that it is both unreliable and unsafe, and it does not meet current standards. They are exploring three potential ways to save money at the crematorium.
One option under consideration is the complete removal of the cremator. Chapel services would still continue to occur, and this option would save approximately £40,000 each year. A second option involves replacing the old cremator, but a new, compliant one would cost over £740,000.
The final option being evaluated also involves removing the cremator. However, in this scenario, they would expand the chapel size instead, increasing the seating capacity from 55 to about 100 seats. This expansion would cost roughly £350,000.
Council leader Neil Emmott has previously spoken about the budget. He stated that the budget is still difficult. This remains true in spite of government funding, as they still face pressures on important services, and the council needs to save money.