Poor local government settlement for North Wales (Eleanor Burnham )

Cymraeg
English

Eleanor Burnham <info@eburnham.org.uk>

Poor local government settlement for North Wales

January 29, 2008 12:00 AM

Eleanor Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, today slammed the Minister for Local Government on the poor financial settlement to North Wales' local authorities as the final budget is discussed in the Assembly.

Ms Burnham said:

"Local authorities in Wales have received a very poor financial settlement. Despite the new increases, the local government settlement is still below what is needed to deliver services effectively without causing local authorities to put up Council Tax"

"For instance, the Lib-Dem led Wrexham Council has made 4% saving across all departments avoiding front line cuts in services and schools. As importantly, it has only increased Council Tax by 3.68%, in line with current inflation rates and amongst the lowest in Wales.

"In addition, the Wales Audit Office recently commended Wrexham as one of the local authorities with the best financial controls in the county.

"Ridiculously, whilst the Welsh Assembly Government expects year on year council cuts, they expect more and more council delivery - for example, reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and improving housing stock whilst working within their existing stretched budgets"

Ms Burnham also added

"These are policies that I support but we desperately need the Welsh Assembly Government to recognize increased local council delivery costs and need the Welsh Assembly Government's improved settlement so that the councils can fulfill their obligations on behalf of my heavily taxed north Wales constituents"

Ends/Diwedd