04 December 2007
The WLGA has identified £26.4m of flexibility in the draft Assembly Government budget which could be used to protect front-line services. This WLGA is therefore proposing amendments to the draft budget in its own ‘alternative budget’ to protect core public services.
Cllr Derek Vaughan (Neath Port Talbot), WLGA Leader:
“At this eleventh hour, there remain strategic choices that the Welsh Assembly Government could make to alleviate the financial pressures facing councils and to protect key front line services. We therefore urge the Assembly Government to consider the alternatives highlighted in our report. Local services are at risk and this should not just be dismissed as war of words.”
“Our proposals do not seek to cut other services or budgets, rather it balances strategic priorities with key service priorities and seeks to share some of the significant funding increases from other services and budgets with front-line local services. We believe the 2008-09 budget should be amended to increase councils core RSG funding to 3% by transferring £26.4 million from other budget lines. Our alternative budget supports key ‘One Wales’ commitments and our proposals mean that many Assembly Government services and budgets still receive healthy above inflation increases, crucially however, not at the expense of existing local services.”
“Whilst a 3% increase in the RSG requires an extra £26.4 million, such an increase would still leave the RSG more than £100 million short of the increased pressures on local government identified by the Expenditure Sub Group in a report previously agreed by both Andrew Davies AM and Brian Gibbons AM as Local Government Ministers.”
“The WLGA also seeks an assurance that when, this time next year, part of the reserve is allocated for 2009-10 and 2010-11 the local government settlement will be adjusted to reflect the average growth in the Assembly budget.”
Notes to Editors
The WLGA’s Media Response to next Year’s Draft Budget and Finance Settlement is not typical of its annual media response. For example, during 2006 and 2005 the Budget and Local Government settlement was declared as “reasonable given the other pressures on the Assembly Government” and “better than expected but does not address some key local service pressures”. Never before has the WLGA referred to the budget settlement as “derisory” or “punitive” which is an indication of the scale of the challenge that councils are facing next year.
For a copy of the WLGA’s ‘A Budget for Front line services- an alternative to the Assembly Government Draft Budget’ please visit: www.wlga.gov.uk
Ends
For more information contact: Natasha Weeks