Rural council anger at funding shortfall

REMEMBER the infamous video clip of Rishi Sunak, describing how as Conservative Chancellor he diverted public money from "deprived urban areas" to Tun-bridge Wells in Kent?

- ROB PARSONS

His government is widely considered to have severed the link between deprivation and the funding local areas receive, some-thing the new Labour regime is said to be in the process of undo-ing.

But you can expect to hear some grumbling from Tory lead-ers in rural counties such as Northumberland, which is now getting less cash than council offi-cials expected due to the decision to abolish the multimillion-pound rural services delivery grant.

As Local Democracy Reporter James Robinson writes, North-umberland County Council will receive just under £192m from Government this year. This is up from £170.5m last year and repre-sents its first real terms funding increase in 14 years.

But Tory council leader Glen Sanderson branded the final set-tlement "disappointing" and warned the local authority would have to "tighten its belt".