As reported last week, Wokingham borough council faces a £50 million cut in its funding from government for key local services.
A statement from the local conservative group said this money will be re-distributed to other councils across the country, with the reality that for every £100 of additional council tax paid in Wokingham Borough, £78 will be taken by central government and given to councils elsewhere, mostly Labour.
This is what Labour is proposing in their ‘Fair Funding Review 2.0’ consultation.
Conservative group leader at Wokingham borough council, Pauline Jorgensen, told Wokingham Today: “This settlement proposal is an outrageous tax bombshell for working people in Wokingham borough from this dreadful Labour government.
“This move would turn council tax from a charge for local services to a wealth tax, threatening to strip our residents of much-needed services.
Our Labour MP for Woodley and Earley Yuan Yang must publicly challenge Labour’s proposed local government funding settlement, and lobby the government for fairer funding for working people in Wokingham borough.”
Local Conservatives have launched a petition stating that local council tax paid in Wokingham borough should not be used to fund local services in other councils, and calling on Yuan Yang to oppose this unprecedented proposal.
The petition can be found at www.earleyandwoodleyconservatives.org.uk/LocalTaxLocalServices.
To put this in perspective Wokingham borough council spend a total of £33.3 million each year on roads, transport, waste collection, planning, and our green spaces. £50 million would fix about one million potholes.
Shadow executive member for finance, Dave Edmonds said, “This also demonstrates the importance of strong financial management. Since the Lib Dems took control of the council in 2022 we have seen money wasted on vanity projects, such as California crossroads, and the total level of reserves reduced by a third, or close to £35 million.
“Wokingham borough money should be for Wokingham Borough people.”
Before the general election, the Lib Dem executive member for finance gave a clear yet naïve campaign message.
She said, “Everyone is hoping there’ll be a change of government and a proper look at how councils are funded.”
Edmunds added: “It is possible that the Lib Dems will be regretting this sentiment now they can see what damage this Labour government proposes to do to Wokingham borough.”
