| Why is Liverpool worth £17 million less than Manchester? |
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Council Anger as Liverpool is shortchanged by £17 million|
Council leaders of all parties on Merseyside have demanded an urgent meeting with Government Ministers, after local Councils where left short changed by this year’s budget. Liverpool, Wirral and Sefton have been hardest hit, with Liverpool receiving about £17million less than similar cities such as Manchester. Also in Liverpool, things have been made worse by the Government cutting grants and giving the Council more duties - but not the funds to carry them out. Labour Cut will force Council Tax rise Council Leader Mike Storey said “in real terms this year’s settlement is a cut for Liverpool.” “Your Lib Dem Council will work hard to try and keep any Council Tax rises to a minimum, and make sure that Labour’s cuts will not hit vulnerable people.” Schools could also suffer. Local teacher union leaders have also attacked the Labour Government’s poor deal for local schools, saying it will lead to school closures and job losses. Police Cuts on the way Merseyside’s Labour led Police Authority has also received one of the worst deals in the country, and have been short-changed by £13 million. This means that up to 600 police officers could be cut - on top of the 500 we have already lost in recent years. Walton’s Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesman, Kiron Reid attacked the cut. “Labour promise to be tough on crime, but all Merseyside ever gets from them are police cuts - and our local Labour MPs let them get away with it,” said Kiron. Lib Dems say, “Liverpool deserves a fair deal and equal treatment with places like Manchester!”
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