Gary Sambrook MP welcomes confirmation of biggest funding boost for local councils in a decade including £57.7 million for Birmingham
Birmingham Northfield MP Gary Sambrook has welcomed the Government’s confirmation that Birmingham will see its budget increased by 6.4% this year, part of the Conservatives’ commitment to level up local services across the country.
Local authorities across the country, including Birmingham, will receive a share of £49.2 billion local government funding this year – a 4.4 per cent real terms increase and the largest year-on-year real terms increase in a decade. Funding for key public services in will be protected, with significant extra resources dedicated to areas where they are needed most. Thanks to the investment being made by the Conservatives, Birmingham will have an extra £57.7 million to spend this year.
The latest Local Government Finance Settlement, which was confirmed by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick in February, includes an additional £1.5 billion for social care. When added to the existing social care package, local authorities will now have access to over £5.5 billion of dedicated funding across adult and children’s social care in 2020-21.
Local authorities will also be rewarded for building new homes, with another £907 million committed to the New Homes Bonus scheme for 2020-21 to encourage development that benefits local communities.
Thanks to measures taken by the Conservatives, local authorities will be able to prevent excessive Council Tax rises – striking the right balance between the interests of council taxpayers and addressing pressures on services. This is in stark contrast to claims being made by Birmingham’s Labour council leaders, that the budget was going to be cut by £48 million.
Commenting, Gary Sambrook said:
“Councils play a vital role in our communities, providing the crucial local services that people rely on every day. I recently received a letter from Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council asking me to oppose this funding review despite both of us knowing what it would provide for our city.
“To learn that that the Conservative Government has confirmed Birmingham will have an additional £57.7 million this year, I now hope council leader Ian Ward and Birmingham Labour Party will stop wasting their time with petty political point scoring and half-truths and instead concentrate on running our city council more efficiently.
“The Conservatives were elected on a promise to level up local communities across the whole country, and with this funding increase, we can start to do exactly that, ensuring everyone lives in a community they can be proud of.”
Conservative Group Leader, Cllr Robert Alden added:
"Sadly, here in Birmingham the Labour-controlled council have overspent by million on City Centre projects from Paradise Circus to Centenary Square, burdening the tax-payers with a 6% council tax rise this year alone. I will continue working with Gary Sambrook MP and the Government to make sure the Labour controlled council don't keep getting away with throwing hard earnt taxpayers’ cash down the drain on badly managed council projects."
