Dudley MP Ian Austin has called on the Chancellor Phillip Hammond to address the shortfall in local government funding ahead of this year’s Autumn budget.

According to the National Audit Office, there has been a 49.1% real-terms reduction in government funding for English local authorities between 2010-11 and 2017-18.
 
Cuts to council funding has stripped away cash from the services the Council provide for local people. Dudley Council has lost £76 million since 2010, and this will rise to £92 million by 2019/20. The cutbacks have almost halved the money available for education, roads in the borough, social care, youth clubs, libraries, nurseries and other services.
 
Towns like Dudley have suffered far worse than wealthy areas, South Cambridgeshire were even given an increase of £14 per household in 2017 whilst our area lost out. Urban areas have been hit hardest, with households in Dudley losing £344, Sandwell £558 and Birmingham £695.
 
Austin has signed a cross-party letter to Philip Hammond requesting additional funding for councils in England in this year’s Budget. Mr Austin Said:
 
“We all know savings have had to be made, but years of cutbacks have left Council’s barely enough money to function properly. Cuts have had a devastating effect on frontline services for local people. Councils are the first point of call for children in need of care, for those facing homelessness and those fleeing domestic abuse and violence or caring for the elderly - yet funding for these crucial services has halved since 2010.
 
“It is not enough for the Government to give local authorities the power to raise council tax, they should be providing them with the adequate resources to do their job. I want to see an end to these devastating cuts and a plan for proper investment into the frontline services we all rely on”