Council leader's cuts plea to Government

COUNCIL leader Chris Read has urged the Government not to make Rotherham’s cuts worse by bowing to pressure from other authorities.

Changes to the allocation formula meant some county councils — mostly Tory-led — were hit with a surprise extra reduction this year.

This brought the budget reductions closer in line with poorer councils in the north, which have generally been hit harder since 2010.

Rotherham Borough Council is facing a 3.9 per cent cut — equating to £21 million — compared with a 2.8 per cent England average. 

Cllr Read and other members of Sigoma, a group of 43 urban authorities, have written to local government secretary Greg Clark amid fears cuts could grow before the final 2016/17 budgets are set.

Cllr Read said: “Tory cuts have hit local councils hard in most parts of the country, but especially hard in poorer, northern, and generally Labour-controlled areas.

“This year the funding formula made some allowance for this - it was still bad news, but broadly in line with the council’s expectations.

“It is alarming now that the funding settlement may still be re-opened, leaving Rotherham and other similar councils facing further last minute changes that would mean even more job losses and services closing.”