Sefton Council bosses have expressed their unhappiness with this week’s financial settlement announcement by the Government stating that what authority has received is ‘simply not good enough’.

Ever-increasing demand on services and rising costs

Details supplied on exactly what funding it can expect to receive next year show Sefton will get the lowest increase on Merseyside. Given an ever-increasing demand on services and rising costs, the Council faces a difficult task in continuing to provide vital services while at the same time ensuring it balances the budget.

Not good enough

Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council, said: “Yet again, we’re really disappointed with the local government financial settlement.

“The Government has said that local government is receiving 6.5% more funding for next year but for Sefton that simply isn't true.  Our funding is less than the national average and is the lowest increase in the Liverpool City Region.

“It's simply not good enough.”

Concerns

Following the announcement of the provisional local government finance settlement on Monday the Local Government Association has echoed the concerns of Sefton Council saying the settlement does not provide enough funding to meet the serious challenges local authorities of all political parties are facing.

Extremely difficult to plan

Cllr Maher said: “To receive insufficient funding, and this just a few days before Christmas, makes it extremely difficult to plan ahead and make longer term decisions for the benefit of our residents.

“The Local Government Association is right, local councils aren’t being provided with the funds to deliver the levels of services that residents need, want and deserve and which we want to provide.”

Despite the news, Sefton Council is continuing to focus on what is important for residents and will continue to make the case to Government that more funding is needed.

Burden

Cllr Maher added: “We’ll be working really hard to balance the budget again this year and, thanks to the efforts of everyone in Sefton, we are in a good position when compared to many other local authorities.

“However, it is becoming more and more difficult, and this government continues to push the burden onto the local taxpayer."