Cheshire East could have to juggle funds to balance its books after approving a budget where further decisions have to be made on matters like garden waste collection and parking charges.

The council is banking on raking in up to £4m in the future by charging residents to empty their garden/food waste bins and this was voted through at the budget meeting last month.

But details on when this will be implemented, how much the charge will be and what happens to bins if residents don't want to pay, are sketchy at present.

All this has to be decided at a future meeting of the environment and communities committee following public consultation.

The garden waste charge was approved a fortnight ago. (Image - Alexander Greensmith / Congleton Nub News)

Similarly, with parking. The council is looking to bring in an extra £119,000 in 2023/4 by increasing charges and introducing fees in towns which, until now, have been free. This figure is expected to increase to £725,000 the following year.

But consultation still has to take place, despite the figures being in the approved budget.

And just 18 months ago the highways and transport committee voted against the parking charge changes which were recommended then.

At Wednesday's (March 8) meeting of the finance sub-committee, Alsager resident Sue Helliwell asked: "As Cheshire East Council have already voted on a budget that includes charges to garden/food waste collection, what happens if the committee votes against this? Will you still have a balanced budget?

Amanda Stott of Bollington. (Image - Cheshire East Council)

She continued: "The highways committee will be discussing car parking charges. How will this affect the budget if councillors decide that, yet again, they don't want to introduce car parking charges in all towns?"

Finance chair Amanda Stott (Bollington, Ind) said the budget reflects the council's estimated income and expenditure levels based on the strategic intent of the decisions contained within it.

She said the service committees – in the case of green waste this would be environment and communities – are responsible for maintaining the balanced budget presented to them and, if there is a shortfall, there are two options.

"They can either move funds from elsewhere within their own budget, or they can ask for funds to be moved between committees to rebalance the variation," said Cllr Stott, adding this sometimes would need to be approved at full council.

With regard to parking charges, she said: "The highways and transport committee will be required to approve how this is achieved in relation to the implementation of car parking charges. The decision from council doesn't determine the relative charges for specific towns."

She said if the decision had an adverse effect on the budget, again it would be a case of moving funds.