All 12 North East councils have today called on the Government to ensure funding is distributed fairly in the forthcoming spending review.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been consulting on options for distributing elements of revenue support grant in 2019/20 and asking local authorities for their feedback.
Cllr Simon Henig, chair of the Association of North East Councils (ANEC) and leader of Durham County Council (pictured above), said: “We have responded to the consultation with a unified voice across the north east and a clear message – any funding that Government identifies for 2019/20 must be distributed fairly, and not simply handed to the most prosperous areas of the country.
“Local authorities across the north east are struggling with huge pressures in our children’s services and we urgently need Government to address the issues we are facing with a fair distribution of funding in 2019/20.
“We have faced the steepest reductions in funding and are seeing the greatest increases in demand for our statutory social services and this has to be recognised.”