FEARS have been raised public services will be lost and vulnerable people left feeling the strain after Malvern Hills District Council revealed it will lose £700,000 from vital Government funding over the next three years.
Council bosses anticipated the Revenue Support Grant (RSG) – the main fund the council receives from the Government to help run day-to-day services – would be phased out and disappear completely by 2019/2020.
But details of the council’s funding settlement over the next four years has shown cuts will happen much faster than first feared with the council set to lose more than £710,000 up to 2019.
The council said it would it do its upmost to protect front-line services but opposition leaders have expressed concern that some services will go as a result.
Coun Julian Roskams, leader of the authority’s Democratic Group said: “Over the past 4-5 years, the poorest and most vulnerable in our community have been the ones who have largely had to bear the brunt of government’s unnecessarily severe and ideologically driven spending cuts, as essential support services have been cut to the bone.
“But it is now clear with this latest announcement that all residents will soon be affected – with MHDC no longer able to give a categorical commitment that invaluable front-line services will be protected.
“My concern lies entirely with residents who are already under severe financial pressures, and who will now be met with rising council tax bills in return for fewer services – they have every right to be angry.
“I have absolutely no sympathy for Tory councillors shedding crocodile tears as they take an axe to our public services. Before the last election, George Osborne made no attempt to disguise the fact that he intended to ‘shrink’ the state, regardless of the damage this would do to local communities.
“But still those same Tory councillors, now wringing their hands in mock anguish, campaigned in droves for a return of Tory government.
“We in the Opposition have reached out to the Tory administration on MHDC offering to assist in these very difficult times, but have constantly been rebuffed. Our efforts will now be directed to assist our hard-pressed residents as they come to terms with the rising costs and reduced service.”
Coun Tom Wells, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, also expressed his concern to the Observer.
“The disappointing Government grant will undoubtedly put even greater pressure on council finances,” he said.
“However, I am obliged to point out that the district council has made things far worse for itself by continuing to award over generous redundancy packages to the previous chief executive and other senior staff.”
Coun Paul Cumming, responsible for finance at Malvern Hills District Council, said the council were committed to protecting key services.
“While the overall amount needing to be saved has remained the same, the speed at which our funding will be reduced will pose us significant challenges in the next two to three years,” he said.
“It means some difficult decisions have to be made. However, as I’ve said before, we’re committed to protecting front line services as much as we possibly can.”
