Warwickshire Liberal Democrats’ response to the additional £3.0 million transitional grant money, awarded by the Government for each of the next two years, is that it “helps a bit but is not enough”.
The huge cuts in the County Council’s Revenue Support Grant confirmed in the final Local Government Finance Settlement announced on 8th February, together with other grant changes announced at the same time, mean that another £60 million will need to be cut from the Council’s costs over the next three years on top of the severe cuts already planned and in train.
When the Council meets on Tuesday 23rd February to decide how to allocate the £6.0 million transitional grant money, Liberal Democrat councillors will be seeking additional protection and support for their key priorities:
- Supporting carers and allowing older people to live independently in their own homes for longer.
- Front-line community work especially addressing the mental health issues of children and young people.
- Keeping our main libraries open on Sundays.
- Protecting the funding for vital road safety education work in schools.
Cllr Jerry Roodhouse said:
“We’re proposing using some of the one-off money to invest now for future savings, and to give some areas a bit more breathing space so that they can prepare for the future with less funding. We’re not proposing using the full £6 million, however, as we know that extra resources will be needed to address future pressures.
“This extra money will help a bit, but is not enough to stop big future cuts even if council tax continues to go up 4% every year. The Conservatives are still giving people ‘More Taxes for Fewer Services’.”