Monmouthshire Council faces funding Groundhog Day - German

12.00.00am GMT Tue 17th Jan 2006

Monmouthshire Council faces a funding Groundhog Day from the Labour Assembly Government year after year, according to Mike German, AM for South Wales East.

Speaking in the Assembly today, Mr German presented evidence that Monmouthshire made the list of councils that have lost the most from Assembly Government funding - appearing in the top 5 losers four times in the last five years.

He said: "The current funding formula for local government simply doesn't work. The present system means that year after year councils like Monmouthshire get a poor settlement, and the same authorities seem to get the best settlement.

"Those authorities with poorer populations should get more money - but that doesn't and shouldn't account for the annual increases in funding being so divergent. Monmouthshire has to suffer this funding Groundhog Day each year from the Assembly Government. "