CHESHIRE’S Council Tax-payers have missed out on almostŠ£5m in three years – due to lower-than-average central funding grants from Whitehall, claims the county council.
The figure is part of a report on the county county’s financial position to 300 key stakeholders involved in the authority’s annual budget consultation.
County council leader Paul Findlow said: “The recent grant settlement Šwas described by the Local Government Association as ‘the worst for a decade’.”
In Cheshire, the 2.2% funding increase for 2008-09 is much lower than the 5.7% shire county average, some receiving up to 11%. Š
“Since the introduction of the current grant distribution system in 2006-07, Cheshire has received a cumulative increase of 7.9% compared with the average Šshire increase of 13.3%.” said Cllr Findlow.Š
“Had Cheshire received the average national increase it would now have an extra £4.8m of funding available.”
The leaderŠ pledged the county council would continue to lobby for a fairer national system of local government funding which does not unfairly penalise more rural county areas such as Cheshire.
The consultation takes place from January 11-30ŠandŠresults will be taken into consideration in the final proposals to go before Šbudget council on February 6.
