The money management of the in-power administration at Cheshire East Council has been criticised, just over two months before the local elections.

Opposition councillors have claimed the Labour/Independent administration could have done more since coming to power to boost the council's finances.

Conservative group leader Janet Clowes (Wybunbury) asked why the council was spending so much on bussing children to mainstream schools.

"I have repeatedly questioned why, in the light of rising SEND [special educational needs and disability] demand for transport, opportunities to reduce mainstream, rural school transport routes have not been actively pursued," said Cllr Clowes.

Cheshire East Conservative group leader Janet Clowes.

"Modifications to two potential safe walking routes to school in my own ward would pay for themselves in less than a year, negating the need for school buses, and save this council in the region of £250,000 per annum. That is just one ward."

Cllr Sarah Pochin (Bunbury, Non grouped) said over the past four years residents she represented had suffered problems with flooding, bridges collapsing and no winter gritting at primary schools but, she was told, there was no money.

"We continue to pile money into adult social care and children and families because we're told we have to," she said. "And I'm not saying that we shouldn't support those valuable areas but who's scrutinising the costs? Why is there a £4m increase in school transport? Why is there a £27m increase in adult social care, just down as cost demand?"

With regard to proposals to, once again, look at parking charges she said: "I've been asking for eight years for us to charge for parking in Sandbach and those places with no parking charges. That would bring money into the council."

Cllr Moran also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Adults and Health Committee.

But Labour and Independent councillors said costs had soared and cuts were necessary because of the government's actions.

Nantwich councillor Arthur Moran (Ind) argued that, with regard to adult social care, the government had transferred what is a national tax responsibility to the council 'and that is wrong'.

"This government has a broken promise," he said. "It said it would fix adult social care, it hasn't – it's kicked it up the road."

Crewe councillor Connor Naismith (Lab) said party politics, both at a national and local level, had a bearing on the finances of the council.

Cllr Connor Naismith, Crewe West, Labour.

"Not only did government start the fire with their failed ideological experiment over the summer, their response, as always for local government, is to expect us to put it out with a water pistol," he said.

"I do not want to raise council tax by a single penny for residents who are struggling to put food on their table or heat their homes, but that is the government's only answer to what can only be described as a crisis in local government finance."

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