Steven Broadbent says the government’s funding shake-up could spell trouble for areas like Buckinghamshire.
Responding to the government's statement today on Local Authority Funding Reform, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, Steven Broadbent said:
"The government's statement today is a mixed bag, and for me, a very real concern remains around what a 'place-based' formula means in practice and the ongoing potential for funding that pays for vital local services to be redirected away from areas like Buckinghamshire.
We have more than 550,000 residents here in Buckinghamshire and their lives and needs are just as important as those elsewhere.
I welcome the further opportunity to make representations to government on how funding will need to recognise the relative costs of delivering services across different parts of the country.
However, this eight week consultation is more than 100 pages long so working through the detail will be a complex exercise as we need to completely understand the impact on Buckinghamshire of what is being proposed to make a fully considered and informed response.
Locally, an absolute priority is ensuring our residents get value for money from their council tax. We are a large unitary authority with considerable pressures in social care, home to school transport, and SEND provision so we cannot see an outcome where funding is directed away from this area.
Today's statement does seem to demonstrate a starting point on some of the biggest issues facing local government, particularly confirming a multi-year financial settlement and an acceptance of the sector's calls to update the adult social care formula building on previous academic research, which could also benefit county areas. It is also welcome to see rural communities recognised alongside more built-up areas in the aspirations around this work and it's vital that the government stays true to its word on this.
My job is to make sure Buckinghamshire's voice is heard in the continuing conversation. Ultimately, we need to see real progress and sustainable outcome for all councils when it comes to how money is allocated to local authorities."
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