THEY thought they’d planned for every eventually but nobody at Redditch council expected the Government revenue support grant (RSG) sums to end up with the authority paying a projected £330,000 back to Whitehall in four years time.
In what the borough chief executive Kevin Dicks called ‘a game changer settlement’ the borough’s controlling Labour group lined up to attack the Government grant, which will see its RSG sink from £1.5 million to minus £330,000 by 2019/20.
The council’s executive committee heard that officers had known the grant would be cut but that no one had expected a 48 per cent reduction in total funding over the next four years.
It means that on average Redditch has faired worse than both inner and outer London boroughs, UK metropolitan boroughs, shire unitary and district authorities and county councils.
Council Leader Councillor Bill Hartnett (Lab, Church Hill) said: “I do not know where to start, we thought it would be a drastic reduction but 48 per cent is a lot, and I have written to our MP (Karen Lumley) asking for her support in re-dressing this situation.”
He added that every single authority in the county had been left reeling by their settlements. “All the leaders are disappointed – to put it mildly, and that includes Conservatives. No one has come out of this well,” he said.
Coun Juliet Brunner (Con, M’boro) said: “The Government has offered us a four year deal and they are continuing with the New Homes Bonus (paid for building new houses) so we need to get on and build some homes in our town.
“This settlement is also a proposal so the Government is open to suggestions and there is the opportunity to work with our MP on this.”
