Gedling‘s deputy leader is calling for urgent action after the local authority missed out on a much-needed funding boost from a Government council spending review.
Councillor Michael Payne has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Gedling MP Tom Randall asking for the situation to be resolved ‘immediately’.
Mr Payne’s letters are in reaction to the recent publication of the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS) which sets out what funds will be allocated to the councils across England for the year ahead.
He said: “It is deeply disappointing that the figures published on December 17 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government highlight that Gedling Borough Council is the worst affected council in England in terms of its Core Spending Power in 2021/22.
“Gedling Borough Council has suffered a 20.2% reduction in Core Spending Power in the last six years as a result of decisions taken by successive Conservative Governments.
“This is a double blow for our community after the Government overlooked all of Gedling borough;s local towns for the £25m grants being distributed from the Towns Fund, whilst other areas across Nottinghamshire benefited.
He called on the Prime Minister for an ‘urgent response’.
Mr Payne wrote: “I look forward to you honouring your promise to ‘level up’ every part of the UK by addressing the iniquitous treatment of Gedling Borough Council in the provisional LGFS, particularly in terms of the sharp reduction in our Core Spending Power since 2015/16 and by immediately including the council as a substantial beneficiary of the recently announced £4bn ‘Levelling Up’ Fund.
In the letter to Mr Randall, Councillor Payne also criticised the Conservative Government for giving local authorities the freedom to raise Council Tax by up to 5% to achieve spending levels.
He wrote: “The Conservative Government’s Finance Settlement for councils for the year ahead is predicted on a £2bn Council Tax increase – equivalent to a 6.6% increase in the middle of the worst economic crisis in 30 years. Your Government is making local residents pay the price of your failure.”
Gedling Eye has contacted Tom Randall MP and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government for a comment.
