Monmouthshire missing £19 million | County Bottom of the League in Assembly Local Government Funding.

12.00.00am GMT Wed 14th Nov 2007

Monmouthshire at the bottom of the pile for Assembly support - again.

Monmouthshire is again at the bottom of the league in the annual Welsh Assembly Government funding for local councils says a local Assembly Member.

Michael German AM, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Wales, was speaking after the Labour-Plaid Government released in funding figures for each council.

"All local authorities in Wales are getting a below inflation rise in their block grant form the Assembly Government. Monmouthshire is particularly hit very hard. Despite all pleas to the Government that as a rural area, services are more expensive to provide, Monmouthshire gets £1,065 per person in the county, against the Welsh average of £1,284. This is a difference of £219 per person, or a missing out on £19 million a year.

Mr. German added, "This is a year for concentrating on bread and butter issues, otherwise key services like education and care homes will be affected. This isn't the time to put free laptops gimmicks before teaching jobs and our children's' education."

Speaking on the likely consequences on next year's budget settlement, Phil Hobson, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the County Council said that, "We are going to have a very tough year. The settlement is disappointing. However, we have asked the Conservative administration to join us in an all-party appeal to visit the ministers in Cardiff Bay and make a plea for extra money. This didn't happen. The council didn't pull out every stop to avoid this exact situation form happening."

"We face the double whammy of an unfair funding settlement from the Labour-Plaid Government, as well as the scandal of £3 million of uncollected council tax in Monmouthshire biting in to local services. The outlook for school and highways as well as recycling looks bleak."

"This settlement from the Labour-Plaid Welsh Government and the Conservative Administration in Monmouthshire are putting the County in an impossible situation."