MP Faisal Rashid has spoken out against cuts to local authority funding during a debate in Westminster.
During the debate Faisal paid tribute to the role of local councils, which he said were integral to building vibrant and inclusive communities and vital to safeguarding the most vulnerable in our community to ensure that no one gets left behind.
However, talking about the challenges faced locally following 8 years of central Government austerity, he highlighted the £122 million worth of budget cuts faced by Warrington Borough Council since 2010, with a further £38 million of cuts required by 2020. Faisal added that these cuts were being imposed upon the local authority while pressure on services was growing.
He also highlighted Warrington’s status as one of the lowest funded of the 91 unitary and metropolitan authorities outside London and the second lowest funded in the North West.
The MP for Warrington South said: “Warrington Borough Council like so many other local authorities across the country is under immense pressure after 8 years of the Conservative Government’s drive for austerity.
“Locally, our Labour council, in the face of such challenging circumstances, has always tried to put fairness and protecting vulnerable people ahead of politics. But sadly, this is not enough to stem the tide of disastrous Tory cuts.
“While the Prime Minister was announcing the end of austerity last October, over 5,000 councillors signed the ‘Breaking Point’ petition to call on the Government to cancel its planned cuts for the new year, and to immediately invest £2billion in children’s services and £2billion in adult social care to stop these vital services from collapsing. The Government must heed the advice of local representatives from all over the country by investing properly in our communities.
“At the last election, Labour pledged £8 billion extra to fund social care, alongside an additional £500 million a year for Sure Start and early intervention services. If the Government is serious about ending austerity, this is the kind of investment local government requires to rejuvenate our communities after eight years of crippling austerity.”
