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6 Jan 04

Poole Continues Its Fight For More C£sh

Following Poole's recent face to face challenge to the Government regarding fairer funding, Leader of the Council, Cllr Brian Leverett has written to Senior Local Government Minister, Nick Raynsford to further drive the message home to Westminster. \n

In the letter, Cllr Leverett thanks the Government for the opportunity to comment on the Local Government Finance Settlement 2004/5 but reaffirms the difficult situation Poole is facing this year.

Cllr Brian Leverett, Leader of Poole Council, said: "Once more, the Government has dealt Poole residents a poor deal. After passing on the required money to schools, the Council is left with just £236,000 to meet other service pressures in 2004/5. This creates a gap in costs estimated at £5million, which we are battling to cope with.  Despite John Prescott's joint letter with Charles Clarke, which states 'a decision to passport the full Schools Formula Spending Share increase to schools should not be at the expense of other services', it is clear that unfortunately this is not the case in Poole."

He added: "This situation is grossly unfair on Poole residents and taxpayers! It is just not possible to explain to some of the people in greatest need that the Government is allocating so little towards the services they need in 2004/2005. As a consequence, to keep Council Tax "in the low single figures" as we would desire, would inevitably mean cuts in service areas that some of our most vulnerable residents need. Such cuts would inevitably hurt."

Aside from its Finance Settlement, Councils face increasing pressures this year with the additional impact of pay, prices and pensions, plus the added burden from Government of either introducing a waste strategy or facing their penalty of higher landfill tax. In addition, Poole Council will take on new licensing responsibilities from the magistrates' courts, which will demand further financial and practical support.

Cllr Leverett will further fight Poole's case on 14 January when he joins local Members, Headteachers and MPs on a third visit to the DfES Headquarters to set out the case for fairer funding for Poole schools. This year Poole pupils are to receive £128 less per pupil than those in Bournemouth. Poole has also dropped, in the Government's Funding League, to being the 146^th worst funded LEA of the 150 in England.

 

Ruth Lawson, PR Officer (Media), Borough of Poole, tel: (01202) 633295