Kate writes a bi-weekly column for the Burton Mail. This column was originally featured in the 12th February print edition.
Like many households and businesses, local councils have also faced significant financial pressures over the last couple of years with the pandemic, inflation and rising costs for raw materials as well as energy bills. From fixing our roads, to providing care to the most vulnerable in our society, the pressures, and demands, on council budgets have increased significantly.
I know our local councillors have welcomed the recent announcement from Government that extra funding is being made available from the next financial year’s £64.7 billion Local Government Finance Settlement.
In Staffordshire, East Staffordshire Borough Council, Staffordshire County Council and the Police and Fire services will see a boost of £57.7million. This will give local authorities additional resources to ensure they have what they need to support their communities in the long term and deliver a brighter future for the whole county.
The Local Government Finance Settlement sets out how much councils have to spend on vital local services each year, including social care which will see a £1.5 billion increase in funding next year as a result of the announcement.
This additional funding comes on top of the Government funding our area has received from the Levelling Up Fund (£12million), the Towns Fund (£22.8million) and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (£3.8million), which are improving local and civic infrastructure, revitalising town centres and supporting local communities as the Government sticks to the plan to deliver a brighter future for all.
Despite this, Labour-run East Staffordshire Borough Council has chosen to increase car parking locally by 35% and scrap the popular 'free after 3' parking scheme. This decision will be a major blow to our town centres, local retailers and could not come at a worse time as families juggle increasing pressures on their household finances.
Whilst it is good news that local authorities here in Staffordshire will receive additional funding from central Government, this money, and the decisions they take, must be used wisely by local leaders and support the local communities they are elected to serve.
