Continuing Cuts for Hounslow
As Transitional Grant seems to favour southern Conservative authorities
Tories hand millions to wealthiest councils – but there’s only cuts for Hounslow
Hounslow MPs Ruth Cadbury and Seema Malhotra have accused the Government of a stitch-up, after the Chancellor handed hundreds of millions of pounds to the wealthiest Tory councils to ease the pain of spending cuts – but offered nothing to Hounslow.
Hounslow Councillors are having to make a further £40m of cuts on top of the tens of millions they have had to make since 2010, and received nothing at all in today’s announcement.
Tory MPs became alarmed when they realised their areas might soon see cuts similar to those imposed on the rest of the country. They threatened to vote down the Government’s planned cuts until Communities Secretary Greg Clark announced a £300 million ‘transitional grant’. The Government have refused to say where the extra money comes from.
Labour analysis shows that £255 million of the grant – 85% – goes to Tory councils. Areas where Labour runs the council receive just £17 million, despite suffering the harshest cuts since 2010 and having higher levels of deprivation.
Ruth Cadbury MP said: “people here are bearing the brunt of Government cuts to Council services, that Hounslow is forced to pass on. There is no “fat” left and now cuts are being made in services that most of us think are essential in both universal services we all benefit from such as roads and parks, but also those services that affect vulnerable people such as those with disabilities and older people.”
Seema Malhotra MP said: “Hounslow residents have faced the brunt of the worst cuts in a generation. Now we learn that the Prime Minister is injecting millions of pounds into wealthy run Councils. Neighbouring Surrey – one of England’s wealthiest shires – today gets a hand-out of £24m despite suffering far fewer cuts in recent years.”
Surrey is followed by Hampshire (£19m), Hertfordshire (£16m), Essex (£14m), West Sussex (£12m), Kent (£11m), Buckinghamshire (£9m) and Oxfordshire (£9m).
February 11, 2016
