Joint call for more funding

Leaders of both East and West Sussex County Councils have joined other authorities in calling for a fairer funding commitment from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The County Councils Network (CCN) is requesting emergency funding next year and a ‘cast iron’ guarantee to implement fairer funding reforms in 2021.

Due to historically lower funding and deeper cuts to core grants, councils in England’s rural and shire counties are the lowestfunded authorities, receiving just £240 per person for public services such as social care, children’s social services, public health and libraries.

This is 60 per cent less than what residents in inner London receive and 46 per cent less compared to councils in metropolitan and city authorities.

Analysis from the CCN revealed that if the 36 county areas that make up the CCN were funded at the same perperson average in England, they would be receiving an extra £3.2billion per year.

In the full letter, senior councillors warn that ‘if the Prime Minister is to fulfil his pledge to level up opportunity in this country, then we must hav a cast iron commitment to fair funding for our underfunded and overburdened councils’.

Both Louise Goldsmith, leader of West Sussex County Council, and Keith Glazier, leader of East Sussex County Council, were signatories.

The letter says that ‘for decades our historic shire counties have been left behind our major cities and urban areas’ and ‘it is time our shire counties were given the same opportunities’.