West Sussex residents have had another ‘raw deal’ from the Government in the 2009/10 grant settlement, says Louise Goldsmith, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources.
The County Council is set to get a cash increase of just £1.7 million in its grant for services other than schools – that’s a list which includes adults’ and children’s services, roads, waste disposal, Libraries and Trading Standards.
This amount comes at a time when the County Council faces a bill of more than £10 million to cover inflation, £2 million extra to pay energy bills and a £1.4 million increase in the Government’s landfill tax.
The settlement has also been criticised by County Council Leader Henry Smith.
He said: “It is bad news during an economic downturn when people and businesses will be looking to the County Council to do all it can to maintain its frontline services.
“Unfortunately, the term credit crunch is nothing new to West Sussex County Council – we get no credit from the Government for delivering efficient services, just a constant crunch placed on the amount of grant to support them.”
Louise said: “This is the seventh year running we have been on the receiving end of the lowest possible grant increase, and it is particularly disappointing at a time when West Sussex is facing severe pressure due to the economic downturn.
“Our percentage increase is the equal lowest among the 27 English counties and less than half the average rise for a County Council.
“Dorset, for example, with 7.6 per cent receives over four times our percentage increase of 1.75.
“Figures like this show how deeply flawed the Government’s formula is for distributing grants towards essential council services.”
There is more gloomy news in prospect for 2010/11 with provisional figures showing the County Council will get a 1.5 per cent increase for services other than schools, which are funded separately.
Louise said the settlement brought into ‘even sharper focus’ the County Council’s continuing review of the way it delivers services.
She said: “It is the only the substantial efficiency savings we have made over the last two years that has meant we have been able to maintain services and put extra money into areas that are under the greatest pressure.
“So far we have found an extra £30 million year on year to put back into services and to help keep council tax increases at an affordable level. We are looking to raise that amount to at least £40 million in the coming year.
“We will be making strong representations to the Government but we have done this now for the last seven years and I don’t expect we will benefit from a sudden change of heart.
“It is too early to predict what this will mean for council taxpayers next year. However, as we go into our round of meetings that will decide the County Council’s budget for 2009/10, I can assure residents and our business community we will be putting their interests in these difficult times at the very top of the agenda.
