Yet another Tory council is facing bankruptcy – so it attacks the poor
Somerset Council has already announced plans to axe Sure Start centres – because the rich don’t use them?
It is absolutely sickening that Somerset’s Conservative-controlled council is tackling its money problems by axing services for people who are poor and/or vulnerable.
Is that because they are the least likely to complain – or the least able to make a complaint stick?
It is also worth noting the comment of Labour’s Andrew Gwynne: “I said “Northamptonshire is the first, it won’t be the last”… Since then, Tory-run Worcestershire and Now Tory-run Somerset are openly facing major financial problems.
“Cuts have consequences. This is a crisis made in Downing Street.”
They do. It is. And it is a crisis that began eight years ago.
A Tory-controlled local authority has called on ministers to fix a “broken” system of council funding after it emerged its deteriorating finances mean it is at serious risk of going bust.
Somerset county council has been told that large overspends on children’s social services, coupled with reduced government funding and the erosion of its reserves, have left its finances “in a very challenging position”.
A formal peer review says any failure to meet its ambitious financial savings targets for the current year would leave the council at risk of being unable to set a balanced budget within months – in effect leaving it at risk of insolvency.
The county, which has already announced unpopular plans to close two-thirds of its Sure Start children’s centres, more than and make big reductions to its , must now find further cuts.
Source: Tory council at risk of bankruptcy calls for funding system fix | Society | The Guardian
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The Torys! The political party of fiscal competence! Fancy that! They put more money into people’s pockets don’t they?
ah that aktion t4 it seems even the Tory council can’t be protected by their leader hmmm
It’s also because the poor are the least likely t o vote and, if they did, the least likely to vote Tory.
Come on what are the poor there for, after all they did vote for them
I did recall not that long ago that many Councils were hoarding cash reserves which was not fully understood or declared to their electorates. Maybe this Government is trying to flush these reserves out of the local finances to save central funds. Would be better if Local Governments would look to sort out their rather generous pension arrangements to bring in line with private business pension cut backs.
Council cash reserves were there to ensure they could continue running in crisis situations – not to cover for central government funding shortfalls.
In fact, most councils were being told to increase their reserves while the Tory cuts were taking place.
How much did that vulgar tacky… Spectical.. Cost yesterday.. Millions… And children go hungry and homeless in a first world country.. Disgusting.. When and if people finally wake up… God help you if your a torie