Open Letter to Warwickshire MPs
17 January 2016
Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement.
I am writing to you on behalf of the Warwickshire County Council Liberal Democrat Group to express our deep disappointment over this year’s central government finance settlement for the County Council, and the loss of funding that will now seriously reduce local services and at the same time increase the pressure on the taxpayers of Warwickshire. You will be aware that the County Council has being working hard on efficiencies and has delivered savings of £98 million since 2010, therefore meeting the challenge of funding reductions at the same time as rising demand.
The Conservative Government’s response has been seen in this year’s Local Government Finance Settlement, which it has cut dramatically without recognising the needs of our growing population, particularly in adult social care and children’s services. The impact of this will now require additional cuts to be made in services and at the same time Council Tax will have to go up. More Taxes for fewer Services.
The Government stated that the changes announced in the provisional settlement were made to address the particular pressures experienced by councils which provide adult social care and children’s services. And yet Warwickshire CC where some of these pressures are greatest and are forecast to increase, is now faced with a reduction of 33% in its Revenue Support Grant (RSG) funding between 2015/16 and 2016/17.
Even without the provisional Settlement, Warwickshire CC was already planning to make £17 million of savings next year, including cuts to front-line services. By the actions of your Government the County Council is now faced with finding a further £9 million of spending reductions, whilst at the same time raising council tax by 4%.
As a Warwickshire MP representing citizens of the Warwickshire we ask – is this fair? And we call on you to put pressure on your Conservative Government to reconsider the proposals in the provisional Settlement.
Yours
Cllr Jerry Roodhouse
Warwickshire Liberal Democrat Group
