Telford council leader Shaun Davies writes to PM to call for more funding

Mr Davies branded Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick's suggestion that councils will have to "burden share" to cover some or all costs from the coronavirus pandemic "nothing short of a disgrace".

He wrote to the Prime Minister and current stand-in leader Dominic Raab to call for a new allocation of money to help the council support Telford residents.

In the letter Mr Davies said: "I was encouraged to receive regular briefings from the Local Government Secretary the Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP where he stated on a regular basis, through at least five calls with all Leaders and Chief Executives, that ‘do not let funding get in the way of doing the right thing for communities at this time, we will ensure we support you’.

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"After 10 years of austerity, Telford and Wrekin Council has delivered £125m of ongoing savings resulting in a staff reduction of over 1,600 people and a reduction in service.

"During this time we have kept council tax low (the lowest in the Midlands) we have developed new ways of service delivery. We have delivered new homes. Attracted inward investment. We have improved council services. We have done all that has been asked of us.

"Encouraged by your government’s commitment to fund us fairly and that the government would do 'all it takes' coupled with our values as a council and a leader of communities me and my team directed the council to deliver at scale and at pace for our borough.

"Only this week, we hear from Robert Jenrick MP that local government will have to cover some or all of the costs, this is nothing short of a disgrace if this action is followed through, and we have done the right thing for our people and at the original assurance that we would be supported financially as promised by your government.

"If further cuts are demanded of local government which would result in more job losses at the council, this would be nothing short than a kick in the teeth for local government staff who have worked around the clock to deliver for our Borough as part of the national effort.

He added "The funding allocated to date will not go anywhere near where we need to be and we have delivered in good faith as directed by your government.

"If further funding does not materialise then we will have to reduce the number of staff further in our organisation and reduce services dramatically to protect the core statutory services for adults and children’s services.

"I ask you Prime Minister and First Secretary to immediately and urgently confirm not with words but allocation of new money to local government and Telford and Wrekin Council so we can all do the right thing – the mission to defeat this virus and in doing so protecting lives, livelihoods and living standards."

Read the letter in full: