Finance

Effective financial management, value for money and a sustainable budget have been the key targets of the Conservative administration during it’s period in office.

Expenditure is continuously monitored to ensure that money is well spent and budgets kept to, in contrast to Labour who let expenditure run out of control. Reducing wasted or unproductive expenditure enables services to be better provided in areas of the greatest need.

Value for Money will continue to be a keystone of our management of Trafford's finances. Every pound will be spent to its' greatest effect. We are committed to continuously improving the efficiency of the Council and measuring those improvements. Comparisons with the best performing councils across the country enable Trafford to target our efforts most effectively. Use of outside organisations where appropriate will continue to drive efficiencies throughout the organisation and ensure that frontline services receive the maximum amount of our scarce resources.

Over the medium term the Conservative administration is committed to producing an annual budget which is sustainable, i.e. does require the use of the reserves. So far, after the 2008/09 budget we are well on track and more than half way to our target. We are the first administration in Trafford to introduce regular medium term financial planning and are using this to enable us to plan the provision of services in a structured way. The Medium Term Financial Strategy and Plan are always under review and visible to allow all staff make informed decisions.

Progress has been made. But Trafford's Conservatives recognise that the Council is an organisation that spends £400m p.a. and that continuous improvement is necessary if the tax payer is to see effective services at an affordable cost. We will not rest on our laurels and our pledge is to ensure that this continues to happen.