Rural areas missing out on Government cash - Tessa Munt (From Burnham and Highbridge Weekly News)

Rural areas missing out on Government cash - Tessa Munt

11:20am Wednesday 23rd January 2013 in News By Matthew Colledge

BURNHAM and Highbridge MP Tessa Munt says rural areas like her constituency are not getting a fair deal from central Government.

She has joined a cross-party group of 50 MPs calling for the 2013/14 Local Government Financial Settlement to be reconsidered.

Under the Settlement, announced by Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles, funding for rural councils has been cut by 5.21%, while cash for urban councils has dropped by just 2.04%.

Ms Munt said: “For too long the rural voice has been silent. It is only right that Somerset should be given the same deal as other parts of the country.”

However, Mr Pickles says the settlement is fair, because councils will keep at least 25% of all business rates they collect, meaning their overall spending power will reduce by just 1.7% next year, and by just 1% for rural councils.