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Off to see the minister
Ref : 07/131 : Date : 24-12-2007
A delegation of council leaders, officers and MPs are off to lobby local government minister John Healey on Friday (28/12/07). Adur District Council, Worthing Borough Council and Brighton & Hove City Council hope to persuade the minister to rethink the way free bus travel for people aged 60 and over is funded.
All three councils face serious financial strain under the present unfair system of local government grant allocation.
Adur has already said that the expected council tax increase of 4.3 per cent will all be spent to fund the free bus travel scheme when it is introduced in April 2008. The increased cost of £405,000 just to implement the national minimum scheme compared with a proposed grant of £167,000, leaves a shortfall of £238,000.
Adur Council Leader, Neil Parkin said: “We will be doing our best to persuade Mr Healey that putting the squeeze on south coast councils is unfair to local people. “
Worthing faces an even worse dilemma, with a likely shortfall of £650,000 which could yet become even more. It is consequently faced with tough decisions about where to try and save money and possible service cuts. It has also had to postpone the implementation of single status employment for its staff. A possible 4.9 per cent increase in Council Tax for 2008/09 is now likely, whereas one of below 4 per cent would have been achieved had it not been for this unfair settlement on concessionary fares.
Worthing Borough Council Deputy Leader, Ann Barlow said: “Crucial services which affect all our residents might face cuts because of the lack of funding from central government on concessionary fares.
“I really hope Mr Healey will help the residents of Worthing keep vital services.”
Ends
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