News story

2nd December 2004

MP Hails "Victory" in Fight for Fair Funding for South Glos.
 

Northavon MP Steve Webb has hailed this week's announcement of new funding rules for local councils as a victory in a long-running campaign for fair-funding for cash- strapped South Gloucestershire Council. After several years of lobbying, the Government has finally removed the "ceiling" on grant increases which had cost South Gloucestershire residents millions of pounds in lost money from central government. As a result, South Gloucestershire will this year receive a grant increase from the Government of just under ten per cent - nearly twice the national average for England of just over five per cent.

Local MP Steve Webb, who has repeatedly raised this issue in Parliament, said that the announcement represented a victory for all those who had worked with him for a fair deal for South Gloucestershire. The Lib Dem MP said:

"The system of funding councils run by the previous Conservative government put South Gloucestershire at the bottom of the pile. After several years of pressure we managed to get this Government to change the rules to be fairer to South Gloucestershire, but they were still taking ages to phase in the change. This week's announcement finally means a better deal for South Gloucestershire. I am delighted that my pressure in Parliament and the pressure applied by many local residents in letters and petitions has finally paid off".


Note to editors: Local Government minister Nick Raynsford MP announced the new settlement to MPs in the House of Commons on Thursday (2nd December). The increase in the "formula grant" to local authorities in England in 2005/06 compared with 2004/05 is 5.6%. The increase to South Gloucestershire is 9.4%, which is the highest of any of the other ex-Avon authorities.