TOWN Hall chiefs say they are facing a £15 million Covid-19 shortfall because Warrington has not been fully reimbursed by the Government.

A pre-budget outlook report for 2022-2026 came before the council’s cabinet during its meeting at the Town Hall on Monday.

Members noted the current position and the additional challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Deputy leader Cllr Cathy Mitchell confirmed it is currently estimated that the council will need to make savings of £40.5 million over the four-year period between 2022-23 and 2025-26 – with £23.2 million of the savings required in 2022-23.

However, the council says the forecast does not take into account any additional pressures arising from actions taken or required as a consequence of the pandemic and is in addition to the 2021-22, current financial year, budget saving requirement of £11.6 million.

Cllr Mitchell says the council has made £173 million of budget reductions since 2010, equivalent to £1,845 per Warrington household.

Cllr Hans Mundry, cabinet member for transportation, highways and public realm, said the town’s taxpayers will have to ‘make up the difference where the Government has short-changed us’ during the meeting.

He added: “So basically it’s not short-changing the council, it’s short-changing every resident in Warrington.

“So my question is how much have the people of Warrington been short-changed by this Government?”

Cllr Mitchell said the shortfall from the amount spent during the pandemic is £15 million, which she labelled as ‘quite a significant chunk’.

The deputy leader said Covid-19 is ‘clearly not over yet’.

She labelled the need for a further £40.5 million worth of cuts and savings by 2026 – in addition to future Covid-19 costs and £11.6 million of savings this year – as an ‘eye-watering amount of money’.

She also told members that the council has had £173 million worth of cuts to its budget since 2010.

Council leader Cllr Russ Bowden highlighted Tory austerity during the meeting.

He said without the investments of the council it does ‘not bear thinking about where we would be’.

Cllr Tony Higgins, cabinet member for leisure and community, said the council has been clever with its budgets and diligent with its investments during the meeting.