Finance chiefs are hoping the October Budget will deliver the tools councils need to build their communities.
Staffordshire County Council is calling on Government to address long-standing financial issues, develop skills and invest in the future.
Sean Bagguley, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for Finance and Resources, said:
Central Government controls a large proportion of a county council’s income, so if we are going to deal with persistent problems and invest in Staffordshire’s future, then we need recognition of the reality on the ground.
First, and foremost, the cost of protecting vulnerable children continues to soar, despite recent additional investment in the service and targeted support for early intervention.
Add the continuing cost of supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and the gap between the funding provided by Government and the actual amount spent delivering front line services continues to grow.”
Cllr Bagguley added:
Not only do we need a significant and sustained increase in highways maintenance funding that reflects the needs of Staffordshire and other counties like it, but there also need to be a long-term funding solution for repairing aging structures, such as bridges, which are now carrying more. and heavier vehicles than originally intended.”
The county council is also lobbying for substantial investment in providing further education and employment support to expand post-16 provision in areas experiencing the greatest pressures.
And it has also been bidding for funding to encourage economic growth by improving the A50 corridor, the M6 Junction 15 and A5/M42 Junction 10.
Cllr Bagguley said:
Staffordshire is a great county with a history of innovation and delivery.
With the right resources to promote business and longer-term certainty, we can continue investing in essential services, supporting economic expansion and creating opportunities for residents and businesses.”
