Budget rethink? Labour council leaders set to meet Carwyn Jones next week

Labour council leaders will meet First Minister Carwyn Jones next week to discuss a rethink of the Welsh Government’s draft budget. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Last week’s local government finance settlement revealed that all six of the North Wales authorities will receive a year on year reduction in their funding. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In comparison, seven of the 12 South Wales authorities will receive an increase-in or continuation-of the level of funding from last year. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The proposed settlement figure has prompted widespread anger in Flintshire as the local authority is once again one of the lowest funded in Wales. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The draft budget as resulted in a 0.9% cut in funding for Flintshire County Council, compared with a National Average of 0.5% ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Alyn and Deeside AM Jack Sargeant sent a letter on behalf of the Labour AM’s and MP’s in Flintshire to the Welsh Government stating ‘disappointment’ at the proposed settlement. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Delyn AM and Minister for the Environment Hannah Blythyn later removed her name from the letter after being “reminded of her commitment to collective responsibility.”  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Next week’s meeting is exclusively for labour council leaders, a fact which has angered Welsh Tory’s. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

They say the core details of the funding allocations show that seven of Wales’ 22 local authorities will receive an increase-in or continuation-of the level of funding from last year. Out of those seven, six of the authorities are Labour run councils. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Responding to news of next week’s meeting, the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives – Paul Davies – said: ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The audacity of this meeting is disgraceful. We have a Welsh Government that’s not even trying to hide its favouritism of certain local authorities in Wales. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Labour Council Leaders are getting a private session with the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance, despite getting the sunnier side of the funding deal. The other authorities must be appalled. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“All councils should have the opportunity to present their case, not just Labour Councils, because I’m sure there are plenty of Council Leaders who would be delighted to get such a chance. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The Welsh Government needs to either cancel this meeting, or extend the invitation to the rest of Wales’ authorities. People are getting tired of Welsh Labour cronyism”. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Picture: TotalPolitics. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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