It is perhaps nothing new to hear from me, or indeed anyone in local government, that times are tough for our sector.
Like many families over the past few years, a situation of just about managing was blown up by the incompetence and chaos of the Conservative Party – not just under Liz Truss but as the result of 13 years of failure in government.
In Bury, we face the triple threat of underfunding.
Firstly, local government has faced the biggest proportion of cuts since the start of austerity in 2010, with a 60 per cent reduction in spend over the past 13 years.
Secondly, figures out this week have shown Bury Council is massively underfunded compared to the national average for councils – a huge 8.5 per cent behind the typical council, the equivalent to millions of pounds every year we simply don’t get to spend on our local services.
And thirdly, we know our NHS budgets are below our neighbours too.
Taken together, this triple whammy of underfunding is really starting to show itself now after 13 years.
Despite this, we are determined to focus on the priorities we’ve set out and had endorsement from by the people of this borough.
The need to respond to the cost of living crisis is our most immediate one.
Alongside this, is our mission to recover services hit by austerity, Covid and rising demand – especially children’s services and SEND provision.
While the needs in both the short and medium term are significant, we also mustn’t lose sight of how we renew our borough and its towns for the future through our regeneration efforts.
Among many other things we are working on, this is what we are prioritising on behalf of our residents.
But here are some ideas of how you can help too.
Have you got time to volunteer in your community? Look up “Bury VCFA” for loads of ways to get involved and help out.
Can you become a foster parent or adopt? A significant step but one that is vital and incredibly rewarding, with loads of support available.
Can you recycle more? Every extra bit of recycled waste saves our council money and helps our planet.
Do you spend money locally? There are so many amazing local businesses who are struggling right now, so there’s never been a more important time to go and support them if you can.
Will you call on our MPs and the government to finally deliver fair funding for councils like Bury? Fairness is all we are asking for, fairer funding will directly improve your services and lives, fairness is what you deserve.
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