Government has shown 'total disdain' for rural communities

Helen Morgan MP has said the Government has shown “total disdain” to rural communities after it was revealed the county will miss out on a new £440million funding pot.

Helen hit out after it was announced that 42 councils in deprived areas mainly in the North of England would receive the boost.

The extra cash comes despite a local government funding formula which already redistributes money from richer areas in the south to poorer areas in the north.

It’s thought that those councils receiving the new money are in Labour-run local authorities, a move which Helen criticised as “cliched”.

Responding to the latest announcement, Helen said: “What we are seeing is old-fashioned and cliched politics of shoring up votes instead of a fair distribution of funds based on any sense of real need.

“How can it be that a Local Authority - on its knees after years of being squeezed by Central Government – misses out on vital funding, simply because the faces don’t fit.

“This Labour Government has shown time and again that it has total disdain for rural communities and the people here who deserve better.”

Last December it was announced that local authority funding for Shropshire Council would drop by 10%.

The figures for the Local Government Finance Settlement showed a cut in central funding, dropping from £151.5m to £136.3m by 2028/29, further compounding the local authority’s financial woes.

It’s expected that the gap will be partially plugged by local taxpayers as the Government confirmed Shropshire will be able to increase council tax more than usual due to the challenging financial position.

Even with this increase in tax receipts however, this will not cover the drop in core funding from Government.

Shropshire Council is also awaiting a decision on its application for Exceptional Financial Support as it searches for ways to fund its spiralling social care bill and the higher costs of delivering services in rural areas.

Helen has met with the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government and repeatedly spoken in Parliament to challenge the Government’s lack of funding for rural areas.