Bucks Labour MPs welcome funding boost for local services

Buckinghamshire’s three Labour MPs have welcomed the news that Buckinghamshire Council will benefit from a 14.7% core funding increase over the course of this Parliament, as part of the Government’s local government finance settlement.

Callum Anderson (Buckingham and Bletchley), Emma Reynolds (Wycombe), and Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) say the settlement is a major step towards improving fairness and tackling inequality across the country. Labour is ensuring that local councils have the resources they need and can target support where it matters most, while empowering local leaders to deliver for their communities. The approach is fair, evidence-based, and accounts for deprivation and need, while recognising the high cost of delivering services in the South and rural areas.

This is a multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement, the first in a decade, giving councils certainty to plan ahead – rather than having to wait to see what next year’s funding announcement will bring. It consolidates funding streams into a clearer and simpler system. And it ends the competitive bidding process for different funding streams, freeing councils to focus on local priorities and get on with the job of supporting local communities.

Labour say the announcement marks a clear break from previous Conservative administrations, citing authority core spending power fell 9% in real terms and 18% lower in real terms per-person between 2010-2011 and 2023-24*. They added this had devastating consequences for social care, libraries, road maintenance, and homelessness services.

The new settlement ensures additional funding to strengthen vital local services, including adult and children’s social care, road maintenance, and homelessness support.

This funding settlement builds on funding already announced by this Labour Government to benefit residents of Buckinghamshire. In the last year, the Government has announced a £35.8 million cash boost for Thames Valley Police, an additional £5 million for pothole repairs, and a £7.2 million investment in employment support. It also builds on national funding increases, including an extra £1 billion for SEND support, £1.57 billion for new hospital equipment, and £500 million to deliver more affordable homes.

Callum Anderson MP said: "This is a turning point for Buckinghamshire. After 14 years of Tory austerity that hollowed out local services, Labour is rebuilding the foundations of local government. The Fair Funding Review is about fairness – ensuring councils have the resources they need to deliver for their communities. I’m proud that Bucks will see an increase in funding, not the cuts the Conservatives predicted."

Emma Reynolds MP added: "Local government bore the brunt of spending cuts in the 2010s, leaving residents struggling to access essential services. This settlement begins to reverse that damage in Wycombe. It gives councils stability and the ability to plan for the future – something they’ve been denied for far too long."

Laura Kyrke-Smith MP said: “This is a welcome step forward. This settlement recognises both the deprivation that exists in parts of Buckinghamshire – including in Aylesbury – and the high cost of delivering services here.

“What matters now is delivery for residents. I hope the Council will use this funding to support communities, protect vital services and deliver real improvements for residents across Aylesbury and the villages.”

*https://ifs.org.uk/publications/how-have-english-councils-funding-and-spending-changed-2010-2024 (external site)