I attended the Statement on local authority finance today.
The government said that West Berkshire will have £113 m of core spending power next year, and Wokingham £110.7m. The Schools settlement is of course in addition to this.
Most Councils were awarded similar figures to 2016-17, which means the need for efficiency improvements next year to maintain services.
I raised the issue of provision for social care for the 2 Councils.
December 16, 2016
Making councils or any government body more efficient is like weening an alcoholic off intoxicating beverages. It a long, difficult and forlorn process where recidivism is a constant danger and in the end the same bad old ways return.
December 17, 2016
We constantly hear from the media and Councillors of massive cuts made to Local Authority budgets by Central Government
Can you give us the exact figures for the last 3 years grants to our Local Authority, and at the same time advise us of any new finance they get from elsewhere which may compensate in some way if cuts have been made.
Thanks
Reply WBC’s non schools budget has been constant around £113m a year, whilst the Schools budgets have risen from around £108m to around £114m from memory. Government grant for schools has gone up and for general down