SEDGEMOOR prepares itself for cuts to core spending after it was revealed the district will have nearly 10 per cent less than last year.

The local authority spending deal was announced on Wednesday (February 7) which revealed the area will be given £12.4million in core spending power for 2018/19 and £12.1million for 2019/20 - compared to the £13.6million it got for 2016/17.

Sedgemoor District Council is currently receiving £249 per household but that will be cut to £227 when the new deal kicks in in April.

This means the district faces a 9.05 per cent cut in Government support.

A spokesman for Sedgemoor District Council said: “Sedgemoor, like many authorities, has seen a reduction in Government funding, primarily because the formula to reward councils for building new homes has changed.

“Despite Sedgemoor’s continued good performance this has seen a reduction in funding coming into the district. However, we have known about this for some time and planned for the reductions. As such we are very pleased to be able to confirm that we do not need to cut services to the public in order to balance the budget.”

Parliament approved the funding settlement on Wednesday (February 7) and for the coming financial year, 2018/2019, Somerset will have Core Spending Power of £340.6 million, an increase of £11.4 million.

Cllr Mick Lerry, leader of the Labour Group on Sedgemoor District Council, said: “We are concerned the austerity measures being put in place by this Government has put local authorities in a difficult position.

“This whole approach to reduce funding hasn’t been really thought through in terms of the consequences and effects it can have on local authorities.

“We need funding from the Government so we can provide services locally, so we can house people and help people who are homeless and out of work.

“We will stick to our five-year medium-term plan and will look at ways to cut costs and generate income without losing services.”

Conservative MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, Ian Liddell-Grainger, said: “I am really disappointed as Sedgemoor District Council is doing so well and do such good work, it is just wrong.

“If we have councils going above and beyond to provide services then they should have the money they need to do that. SDC is highly successful and for them to lose money is wrong.” I have told Sajid David that it is unacceptable.”

Sajid Javid, secretary of state for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said: “We have listened to representations made and delivered on these requests: two years of real terms increases in resources, more freedom and fairness, and greater certainty to plan and secure value for money.”