Deprived boroughs may lose millions in funding shake-up
SOME OF Yorkshire’s most deprived boroughs could lose millions in social care funding, a review of local government spending suggests.
Some 10 local authorities across the region face a potential loss of up to £77,587,283.36, according to the Labour group in the Local Government Association (LGA), in a fair funding review set out to redistribute cash across the country’s various councils.
Those facing the biggest cuts include Leeds (£11.3m), Hull (£14.2m) and Sheffield (£13.3m) councils.
Other councils facing losses include Bradford (£10.3m), Kirklees (£6.3m), Barnsley (£4.5m), Doncaster (£5m), Rotherham (£6m), and Wakefield (£5m).
Three Yorkshire local authorities, namely York City Council, North Yorkshire County Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, would be the only ones to gain from the shifting of funds, and could receive an extra £20,282,981.96 under the guidelines.
How the Government proceeds with the adjustment to how
local authorities are funded could cause tensions for newly-elected Yorkshire Conservative MPs who took seats from Labour under a promise to level up the North.
Rother Valley Tory MP Alexander Stafford said he would be asking for a meeting with Communities
Secretary Robert Jenrick to “ensure Rotherham Council gets its proper allocation of funding”.
But amid attacks from Labour over the plans he added: “The review is ongoing so the Labour group should wait until the results of the funding are known, and not engage in scaremongering.”
Shadow Communities Secretary, Andrew Gwynne, said: “In the new parliament, 37 Tory MPs represent communities at the sharp end of these cuts. They know these changes are wrong, so it’s time for them to decide: what comes first, their communities or their careers?”
But Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “These figures are speculation and local councils shouldn’t pay any heed to them.”
An LGA spokesperson said: “This analysis does not represent LGA policy, an LGA policy proposal or an LGA preference. It is an attempt to provide some information to councils that might help gauge the likely impact of the fair funding review on the relative distribution of adult social care funding.”
37 Tory MPs represent communities at the sharp end of these cuts.
Shadow Communities Secretary Andrew Gwynne.