Today Wells MP James Heappey spoke in a House of Commons debate on the Government's proposed funding settlement for local authorities in England.
In his speech Mr Heappey pointed out that Somerset is among the worst-funded local authorities in the country, with residents in the London Borough of Hackney receiving over three times more per head in local government funding than residents in Somerset. He added that whilst there is deprivation in urban areas, so is there real deprivation in rural areas too compounded by other factors like higher costs of living, isolation, poor road, rail and bus connections and limited broadband.
Mr Heappey challenged the Government's spending plans saying:
"Given the challenges we face in Somerset, one would imagine that the funding formula would be set to close the gap. Sadly, that is not the case. Urban areas will lose about 21% of their funding in the next five years, but in Somerset we will lose 26%."
Mr Heappey continued to praise the work of Somerset's local authorities in driving down costs whilst protecting frontline services and imploring the Government to reward that good behaviour by delivering a fair funding settlement. He continued:
"We understand well—certainly those of us on the Conservative Benches—the Government’s need to balance the nation’s finances. I have been struck by the sentiment expressed this evening, which is very much not that we expect more from the Government but that we expect fairer spending in what they have already committed to spend."
"I implore the Government please to implement the rural services delivery grant not in part but in full, and as early as possible; to incentivise our councils by confirming that they can keep all that they raise in rates; and to commit to ending the inequality between urban and rural funding, albeit not by asking rural residents to bridge the gap by paying higher taxes, when, as I have said, they are already enduring a higher cost of living, and on lower wages too. Above all else, let us certainly commit to ensuring that the gap will not widen on this Government’s watch."
"Sparsity ensures that the cost of doing things in places such as my constituency is more expensive than doing them elsewhere. Carers spend longer in their cars. School buses are required to carry more pupils over longer distances, which requires more fuel, and the same goes for rubbish and recycling trucks. Less can be done online because there simply is not the connectivity. We pay more in tax and receive less in Government spending, and all to achieve the minimum in local authority service provision."
"We are asking Somerset Country Council to achieve something akin to alchemy. While I applaud it for doing a very good job indeed, it is little wonder that things such as bus services, libraries, road improvements and myriad things besides—things that we would think of as essential to providing the grease for rural life—are coming to be seen as discretionary."
"In rural areas we face deprivation, isolation, higher taxes and a contraction of the local services that are so valued and needed by our constituents. I urge the Government to find another way. We must spend our money more fairly and bridge the gap between rural and urban."
Notes:
1. The full text of Mr Heappey’s speech can be found here (Column 655, 8.35 pm):http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm160111/debtext/160111-0003.htm#16011144000226