More than 40 Tory MPs urge PM to find more funding for finance settlement

Several senior Conservative MPs have warned that residents face a “double whammy” of cuts and council tax rises and and called for extra funding to be found before MPs are asked to vote on the local government finance settlement. 

A letter to the prime minister Rishi Sunak, co-ordinated by the County Councils Network and the county all-party parliamentary group, warns that the provisional settlement for 2024-25 has left councils are planning service cuts and council tax rises, with MPs saying they are “exceptionally concerned about evidence … on the financial situation”.

Former communities secretaries Robert Jenrick and Greg Clark are among the signatories as are former cabinet ministers Priti Patel, Therese Coffey, Damien Green, and Brandon Lewis.

Neil O’Brien, Heather Wheeler, Kit Malthouse, and Jake Berry, who have been local government ministers, have also signed the letter.

Ben Bradley (Con), chair of the APPG, Nottinghamshire CC leader and Mansfield MP, said: “With council tax set to rise again this year, residents face a double whammy. No council leader will take any pride in taking this action, but they simply have no choice after the Autumn Statement left them in a significantly worse position.”

According to CCN upper tier authorities face a £650m projected overspend. Some 45% of this is down to pressures in children’s services, a quarter is linked to adult social care and 20% is connected to home to school transport for pupils with special educational needs.

The letter calls for additional funding in these three areas. It says: “There is still an opportunity to rectify the situation and ensure MPs are able to support the vote on the local government settlement within the House of Commons in early February.”