As someone who served as a councillor for many years in our city, I know first-hand the difference that our local public services make and I care deeply about making sure these are properly and sustainably funded.
But for too long, cities like ours have lost out as a result of an outdated funding formula that ignored our local needs, overlooked the deprivation faced by many people, and failed to recognise how expensive running vital services like bin collections or providing social care can be.
This government is starting to put this right by reforming how council funding is allocated. They’ve said that they will ensure councils are funded fairly, based on the latest deprivation data and local need, so that communities with the highest demands get the public services they rightly deserve.
But there’s still more today. That’s why I’ve joined with Satvir Kaur, MP for Southampton Test, and Councillor Alex Winning, the Leader of Southampton City Council, to fight to make sure we get the full benefit of these changes here in Southampton.
My ask is clear: give our city its fair share when the next allocations are announced, so we can protect and improve the valued public services that my constituents rely on.
Satvir said: “As the former Leader of Southampton City Council, I saw firsthand how the Conservative government pushed us to the brink. Southampton Council has lost more than half a billion pounds of government funding since 2010. We want to ensure Southampton is heard and gets the funding it deserves, so we can deliver real-life improvements across our area.”
Alex said: “The legacy from the Conservative government is still keenly felt. Undoing 14 years of chronic underfunding means we have had to make difficult decisions, and the residents of Southampton deserve better.”
I’ll keep you updated and let you know this progresses when the next funding allocations are announced.