Extra revenue generated from Manchester City Council's stake in the Manchester Airport Group has helped the authority scale back planned cuts.

The council has announced cuts of £30m over the next three years despite last autumn's warning they would have a budget shortfall of between £40m and £75m.

This is despite the Government's financial settlement leaving Manchester £1.2m worse off than anticipated though council tax will increase by 4.99% - including the 3% social care precept - in 2017/18 and 2018/19, and 1.99% in 2019/20.

Council leader, Sir Richard Leese, 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.

‘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.'