Cllr Chris Read, Labour Leader of Rotherham MBC has written to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt demanding that he delivers a fair deal for Rotherham in the upcoming Autumn Statement.

The letter comes ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on 22nd November 2023, in which he will set out the government’s spending priorities and has the opportunity to reverse the damaging Conservative cuts that have left many public services struggling to survive.

Since 2010 the government has repeatedly cut funding to councils, leaving an increasing number of councils warning that they could effectively go bankrupt in the coming months.

The cross-party Local Government Association have warned that a combination of rampant inflation, rising homelessness, and the increased cost of delivering services such as children’s social care mean councils are facing a £4bn funding gap by March 2025.

In his letter, Cllr Read also points out the specific needs and priorities in our borough, including flood defences after the recent devastating events in Catcliffe, a plea for an extension of the Household Support Fund to assist families through the cost of living crisis, and support to support victims of sexual abuse after the government’s decision to again cut funding to our borough this summer.

Commenting on the letter, Cllr Read said:

“Rotherham deserves a fair deal. Government funding cuts have been unfairly targeted at areas like ours. The Conservative’s cuts have meant £200 million of cuts to council services and nearly 2,000 job losses since 2010, a cut in government funding which is equivalent to a 59% of the funding we received from the last Labour government.

“Unfunded pressures are pushing council finances to the brink. An unprecedented number of councils across the country are unable to balance their books. Local family finances are still recovering from the Conservative government’s disastrous decisions that crashed our economy. The government should take responsibility for funding local services, rather than once again forcing councils to increase council tax bills.

“The Chancellor must use the Autumn Statement to deliver the fair deal for Rotherham that we deserve. If he cannot do that, the Conservatives should call a General Election and give the country the chance to vote in a new government that has a plan to give our borough its future back.”