Council tax in Manchester IS set to rise by 5pc from April - but some of the worst feared cuts to services will be avoided.

Town hall bosses say they have been able to dump some of their most drastic planned cuts thanks to a windfall from the council’s share in Manchester Airport.

Last month the M.E.N. reported that Manchester, in common with other councils, was likely to hike its household charge by more than originally expected this year and next under new government to tackle the social care crisis.

The rise is forecast to raise an extra £8.8m towards social care, but town hall bosses say it will go nowhere near closing the funding gap within the service.

Soaring demand for care, alongside a cut to the overall government grant which Manchester gets for vulnerable adults, means bosses have now radically scaled back their attempts to save cash within the service.

The council’s original goal of slashing a massive £27m from its social care budget over the next three years has been more than halved to £12m after senior figures concluded it would be unachievable.

That £12m will now be met through ‘efficiencies’ rather than cuts, it says.

Meanwhile - after extra cash from the council’s ownership of Manchester Airport was factored in - a string of other cuts have also been scaled back.

The number of job losses has been cut from 160 to 77, while a suggested £800,000 cut to youth and play services, £600,000 from slashing emergency grants to the vulnerable, £500,000 from speech therapy services for children, £500,000 from health visiting and nearly £500,000 from parks services have all been cancelled.

Plans to slash £500,000 from the school crossings budget - by scrapping virtually all remaining wardens - have also been scaled back to £220,000, meaning only the ‘safest’ crossings will now lose their patrols, according to the council.

Instead of axing virtually all wardens, the council plans to invest in better pedestrian crossings across the board. Nevertheless where that then results in a crossing getting a ‘green’ rating for safety, the lollipop patrol could still go.

The M.E.N. has asked for a list of all crossings and their ratings, but the council said it was in the process of being revised due to the new investment.

(Image: PA)

Meanwhile the town hall also intends to plough £2m extra a year into roads maintenance in acknowledgement that the state of the city’s highways is a sore point among both residents and councillors.

The reduced cuts - and extra investment - come after the council’s resources turned out to be healthier overall than it originally predicted in the autumn, when its worst case scenario warned of £75m in cuts over the next three years.

In total £15m of extra income has this year been secured through its airport share dividend, while cash has also been taken from its capital investment pot to prop up day-to-day services.

However Wythenshawe and Harpurhey markets both still remain under threat under the remaining cuts, which still total more than £30m.

The council also still plans to cut the number of bowling greens it maintains - although it says it will do so in consultation with players and clubs.

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester council, said: “The last few years have been very challenging for the council as we have had to deal with continuing cuts at the same time as increasing pressures on services. This has been exacerbated by unfair government funding settlements which have hit big cities such as Manchester the hardest.

“But we remain determined to do all we can, working with Manchester people and other partners, to continue to protect the vulnerable and give everyone the opportunity to share in the success of the city’s growing economy.

“This budget process underlines this partnership approach as we attempt to strike the right balance which, inevitably, still involves some difficult decisions.”

Councillor John Flanagan, executive member for finance, added that the revised plan was the result of a ‘long and careful’ process of initial public consultation and councillor scrutiny.

“Between July and September last year Manchester people told us their priorities, which helped officers come up with their initial options in October.

“The consultation feedback on those options has in turn shaped the proposals. Now, as a final stage, we are putting these proposals to the public for their views.

“Manchester people have played a valuable role in shaping the budget so far. We’re grateful to them for their time so far and would welcome further input on the proposed budget.”

Manchester’s revised budget savings plans now stand at £31.75m.

The public can have their say on them here until February 10: www.manchester.gov.uk/budget.