16 January 2008
The publication of the Assembly Government’s final budget today is little more than an exercise in window dressing. While we are satisfied that the “floor” at 2% which the WLGA and relevant councils have lobbied for has been forthcoming it does not alter the fact that this remains the worst local government settlement since devolution. The granting of a floor is a belated recognition that rises in the region of 1% is totally unrealistic to deal with the scale of problems that councils face. Yet today, the inadequacy of the Assembly Government’s final budget means that the average rise for councils across Wales sees an uplift from to 2.3% to 2.4%! This remains well below inflation and barely matches the teachers pay rise announced today.
Councillor Derek Vaughan, WLGA Leader stated:
“No one in the Assembly Government has been able to argue logically against the case presented by the WLGA. I find it very sad therefore that our warnings have not been heeded and that we face a significant range of difficult choices ahead - it is, however, a “Hobson’s choice” since the only alternative to raising council tax is to cut services. The position for front line services is particularly daunting with the gap between education funding in Wales and England widening and the recent PISA report showing that attainment levels for our pupils are around the level of countries like Azerbaijan and Croatia. The lack of investment in our future is unforgivable”.
Councillor Meryl Gravell, WLGA Presiding Officer said:
“We have consistently stated that there is a need for the Assembly Government to “get real” in its budget choices and avoid costly gimmicks. From the local government standpoint our key priority will be protecting frontline services and the proposals of the “One Wales document” will need to be judged on whether they satisfy this benchmark. I am particularly disappointed at the lack of recognition for social services in local government and the key role that it plays in terms of keeping people out of expensive hospital provision. This budget may be the product of a tight Westminster settlement but it is also the result of the wrong strategic choices by the government in Cardiff. The WLGA produced a realistic alternative to the Assembly Government budget proposals but sadly these have been ignored.”