Nottinghamshire Labour group leader hits out at proposed Government funding cuts

The comments come after it was revealed that Nottinghamshire County Council faces £59 million of cuts over the next three years, including needing to find an extra £24m alone in the next year to balance the books.

The shortfall is likely to be made up through savings and council tax increases.

But Coun Ben Bradley MP (Con), the authority’s leader, said the council was not in financial ‘armageddon’ and could weather the storm.

Labour though, said it would ‘not stand for local government cuts to bailout the Prime Minister’s shambolic management of the economy’.

Coun Richard Jackson (Con), portfolio holder for finance at the council, said: “The fair funding review absolutely needs to come forward, we’re waiting for the Chancellor to say what the Government’s thinking is in terms of additional funding.

“Certainly, local government generally needs more money from central Government and we need the fair funding review to give us our fair share.”

READ MORE: Cost-of-living payments revealed for certain Nottinghamshire homes under Household Support Fund.

Coun Bradley, however, said: “There are certainly councils in a much worse financial state than Nottinghamshire and I’m not going to stand up and say it’s ‘armageddon’ because it’s not.”

But Coun Kate Foale (Lab), Labour group leader, said: “For more than 12 years, the Conservatives have ‘levelled down’ Nottinghamshire’s public services, stripping them to the bone to pay for an international banking crisis which wasn’t caused by people who rely on children’s centres, or care staff or support from social workers.

“These harsh cuts will impact upon the real drivers of growth in the economy, hardworking people who just want a decent wage they can live on.

"Putting economic growth as the first and only priority will not help people who are struggling right now and who will be facing a tough winter.

“When Ben Bradley says these cuts aren’t going to be ‘armageddon’, well clearly they won’t be for him.

"But they will be tough for key workers and the people who rely on vital services, this could ruin their lives.

"I genuinely don’t think he understands at all about the impact these cuts will have on ordinary people.”