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Rural Services could see
unwelcome hike in Council Tax coupled with much reduced services
THE UK's rural residents have been
warned this week that they could be facing an unwelcome hike in Council Tax,
coupled with much reduced services, if the UK Government pushes ahead with a
proposed funding settlement for rural communities; despite an increase in
the Rural Services Delivery Grant. If true, it could hit many areas that are
extremely cash strapped already.
The Rural Services Network, which represents local Councils and other
services providers, issued this warning as it outlined its massive concerns,
as the UK Government prepares to decide how much grant funding to allocate
local authorities, following provisional announcements. If true, most rural
local authorities would be very heavily penalised by a proposed shift in
grant from shire areas to metropolitan areas, said the Network.
Network chief executive Graham Biggs MBE said that already cash strapped
local rural Councils would face the prospect of being forced to increase
Council Tax more than their urban counterparts; and even then having to
undertake swingeing service cuts!
"Proposed changes to the funding formula had been applied unevenly and at
the last minute by the Government and without any forewarning, had the
effect of further penalising rural areas..." said Mr Biggs.
Mr Biggs has added that:- "Yet again, rural areas, which already have
higher Council Tax levels than urban areas and a lower average local income,
will be caned to allow urban areas to maintain more UK UK Government
Grants."
Mr Biggs said Council Tax was already significantly higher in rural areas
compared to urban because of historic underfunding of rural services by
successive governments. Yet despite this, the current UK Government was
again choosing to favour urban people at the expense of those living in
rural areas. Mr Biggs said it was unthinkable that a UK Government,
which had indicated understanding of the rural situation, was now planning
to further increase the gap in UK Government funding between urban and rural
areas.
"The move beggars belief! Cuts in grant have been difficult to live with for
5 years, but they have been similar percentage reductions across rural and
urban areas. Now out of nowhere come proposals that will decimate rural
services while urban areas get a much lesser level of grant reduction. To
compound the situation still further, UK Government ministers assume in
their figures that rural residents will have to pay even more in Council Tax
than their urban counterparts. It is astounding." commented Mr
Biggs.
Rural local authorities have called on the UK Government to reconsider its
proposals before MPs vote on the final settlement in February 2016. The
Rural Services Network agrees with the leader of the County Councils Network
and others who say this proposed settlement if enacted can only produce huge
cutbacks in services in rural areas.
Will this affect your area and what are your views about this proposed shift
in grant from shire areas to metropolitan? Please email or newsroom via:-
News24@SouthportReporter.Com and let us know what you think of
this move! |
