Don’t Take It Out On Stratford-on-Avon – Stratford Labour joins more than 70 leaders to demand fair deal from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt

Stratford Labour’s Cat Price is today joining council leaders across the country to defend Stratford on Avon ahead of the Autumn Statement, by backing a letter demanding a fair deal for local support and services.

The letter – co-signed by more than 70 council leaders and Mayors – follows complaints from Conservative leaders earlier in the week that local authorities face bankruptcy without additional support.

Thursday’s Autumn Statement is widely expected to include swingeing cuts and tax hikes for working people, after the Conservatives crashed the economy with their reckless gamble on the nation’s finances – which itself follows 12 years of low growth and falling living standards.

Publishing the letter, Labour’s Cat Price said;

“Don’t Take It Out On Us – Stratford on Avon shouldn’t pay for Conservative mistakes. After 12 years of low growth and falling living standards, our community has had enough of covering the cost of Tory failure. My message to the Chancellor is clear – your party crashed the economy, not people in Stratford on Avon. So it’s up to you clear up your own mess.”

In the letter 70 leaders write,

“The critical services that councils run are in dire need of investment and without further financial support lives will be at risk. People who were donating to foodbanks are now using them, children are going to school without a proper meal and families are facing increasing financial pressures. Without immediate action councils will need to make increasingly difficult decisions about the services we will have to reduce or stop all together.

Our communities shouldn’t have to pay the price for the government’s mismanagement of the economy and raising council tax is not the solution. Increasing the burden on households which are already struggling is not only unfair but will also provide nowhere near the amount on funding councils need to keep basic services running.”

Ends

70 leaders and elected Mayors have signed the letter.

Two Conservative Council leaders have warned the chancellor of possible bankruptcies https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/nov/14/two-tory-run-councils-warns-pm-of-possible-bankruptcy

The letter in full:

Dear Chancellor,

Critical funding for local government.
We write to you as leaders of councils and elected Mayors from across the country ahead of the Autumn Statement to raise urgent concerns about proposals to implement further cuts to local government.

The cost-of-living crisis is weighing heavily on the shoulders of millions of people across the country, many of whom are turning to their councils for help and support. As we did during the pandemic, councils have once again stepped up to support our communities. From increasing investment in council tax support schemes through to creating warm spaces for those who cannot afford to heat their own homes and extending free school meals provision, councils are responding to the most pressing needs of our communities.

The energy crisis, soaring inflation, increases to National Living Wage and rising demand for services has put huge additional financial pressures on councils’ budgets and opened a wide gap between the funding received and the amount we are able to spend on local services. The stakes are high and these pressures means that local government faces a £3.4 billion short fall in funding in 2023/24 and £4.5billion in 2024/25.

The critical services that councils run are in dire need of investment and without further financial support lives will be at risk. People who were donating to foodbanks are now using them, children are going to school without a proper meal and families are facing increasing financial pressures. Without immediate action councils will need to make increasingly difficult decisions about the services we will have to reduce or stop all together.

Our communities shouldn’t have to pay the price for the government’s mismanagement of the economy and raising council tax is not the solution. Increasing the burden on households which are already struggling is not only unfair but will also provide nowhere near the amount on funding councils need to keep basic services running.

We are calling for urgent funding for councils so that we can deliver front line services, respond to the cost-of-living crisis and ensure that our most vulnerable residents are offered the support they need.

Yours sincerely the undersigned,