John in call for fair council funding

New figures from the latest local government finance settlement show South Yorkshire councils and residents are getting a raw deal under David Cameron.

Between 2010/11 and 2015/16 Rotherham Council will face a reduction of 16.6% spending power per household, and Barnsley will see a cut of 17.7%.

Meanwhile councils in some of the wealthiest areas in the country will actually see an increase in their spending power per household over this period.

The figures lay bare the unfairness of the Tory-led Government’s funding cuts.

Over this Parliament the 10 most deprived areas will have their spending power cut by a quarter, but the 10 least deprived areas are only having 2.5% reduction.

The Prime Minister’s local authority of West Oxfordshire – one of the least deprived areas in the country – is getting an increase in spending power of 3.1% in 2013/14.

MP John Healey has called for fair funding and a better deal for local residents.

He said: “David Cameron and Eric Pickles are living in a world of their own and stand up for the wrong people.

“It’s just not fair that Rotherham and Barnsley will face a reduction of nearly 20% in spending power per household, while councils in some of the very wealthiest areas in the country will actually see an increase.

“It tells you all you need to know about whose side the Tory-led Government is on. It’s simply wrong and we need a fair deal for South Yorkshire.”