Council funding help ‘not enough’
THE government’s funding package to help councils hit by the costs of Covid-19 has been criticised as ‘wholly inadequate’.
Cheshire East Council leader Sam Corcoran and deputy leader Craig Browne say most of the £27billion headlining the funding announcement has already been delivered to businesses by grant.
And they say the additional grant funding works out as £500m between all councils.
As reported on page 11, Cheshire East Council has announced the coronavirus crisis will cost the borough £70m - £10m more than originally thought.
Bosses at the council say that government money to compensate for loss of income will only be 75p for every pound.
So far Cheshire East has been given £19.7m.
In a joint statement Coun Corcoran and Browne said: “We welcome the additional funding announced by the government.
“However, strip away the misleading headlines and the re-announcement of money already committed and you see that funding for local authorities, such as Cheshire East, is simply inadequate to meet the additional costs we are experiencing.
“The council continues to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, we are continuing to deliver essential local services which protect our most vulnerable people and support our communities and local businesses.
“Analysis of this month’s financial returns shows that these costs are particularly acute in adult social care, children’s social care and home-toschool transport.
“In line with other councils, Cheshire East will continue to lobby the government to cover the full costs of Covid to local authorities, as originally promised.”
Cheshire East Council has been offered up to £339,533 from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to support the safe reopening of its high streets.