Stockport Council’s finance head says Labour government has “left Stockport behind” with its financial settlement whilst describing engagement with ministers as “staggering”.
Last evening, Stockport Councillors voted to pass through a balanced budget, which despite financial pressure protected leisure centres, libraries and care services for the most vulnerable.
Deputy Leader of the council, and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, Cllr Jilly Julian, said
“We have been consistently let down by the government’s lack of clarity over funding, only to see their delayed finance settlement confirm that they intend to leave Stockport behind. We have once again been omitted from the recovery grant by 0.01%, meaning we have missed out on millions of pounds worth of support by a whisker, all while ministers have ignored our lobbying. It is staggering.”
“However, we are proud that we have published a responsible, balanced budget. It’s one that protects vital services such as social care, highways, libraries and our green spaces. We are especially happy that through collaborative local working, we have enabled upgrades and repairs to play equipment in parks across our borough.”
“While we have not received the funding that we need from central government, we will not shy away from making difficult decisions to ensure responsible financial management that continues our momentum. Despite all the challenges, Stockport is on the up and we’re proud to advocate for our borough.”
