02 December 2007
The Welsh Local Government Association has welcomed the findings of an all-party Welsh Assembly Finance Committee report today which says that key frontline council services could be affected as a result of the Draft Budget settlement for 2008-2009.
Speaking earlier today on the report findings, Steve Thomas, WLGA Chief Executive said:
“We are pleased that the Finance Committee has recognised the limitations of the Assembly Government’s draft budget and Provisional Finance settlement for 2008-2009 on Welsh councils. Some commentators have reported recently that the WLGA’s media response of recent weeks is part of its annual criticism of the Budget settlement. This is not the case. The reality is that the growth of Welsh public expenditure for next year is the lowest since the establishment of the Welsh Assembly Government and councils have been realistic and honest about what they can achieve given the finances available to them and the scale of the challenges they face.”
“Every year councils try to get the best deal for council tax payers and whilst budgets over recent years have been challenging due to a range of pressures, we have always responded appropriately. Our response this year is not typical of any other year.”
“Councils work within a difficult climate where expectation is constantly rising for better public services and where pressures for greater efficiencies gains are greater than ever. In this climate there needs to be sense of realism within the Assembly Government itself about what councils can deliver when they are already squeezing everything possible out of the system. We now hope the Assembly Government will rethink its decision around the draft Budget before publishing its final report.”
For a copy of the WLGA’s evidence to the Assembly Government’s Finance Committee please visit: www.wlga.gov.uk
Notes to Editors
- Please find attached a Q&A detailing many of the key questions that we have asked by journalists over recent weeks in relation to the Draft Assembly Government Budget and Provisional Financial Settlement for 2008-2009.
- 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.
Ends
For more information contact: Natasha Weeks