THE leader of Somerset County Council, John Osman, has written to the prime minister with his concerns over 'chronic underfunding'.

Here, he tells the County Gazette why he has gone to the top...

ONE thing that all local politicians can agree on, is that for decades Somerset County Council has been chronically underfunded.

Compound this underfunding with over £100m of central government grant reduction over the last six years and the result is that our ability to deliver our services has been significantly affected.

Our staff work hard and want to assist as many of our vulnerable residents that they can.

This is one of the main reasons for the forecasted budget overspend for the 2016-17 financial year.

The key word that residents need to note is ‘forecasted’.

We will only exceed our budget if nothing changes.

However, things are changing.

RELATED: Somerset County Council warns of £24m overspend

A number of management actions have been put in place to address the financial situation to ensure that we deliver a balanced budget next April.

In the press, my political opponents have made a number of strong and, I’m sorry to say, inaccurate criticisms and comments.

This is a tough situation, but alarmist headlines and language do nothing to help it or the staff who are working hard to address it.

I share with Somerset residents the latest action I have taken to address the situation, a letter to the prime minister...

The letter in full:

Dear Prime Minister,

Future Funding for Somerset County Council.

I write to you not only as Leader of Somerset County Council, but also as a life-long Somerset resident that cares passionately about its residents, communities and businesses.

I ask that your Government takes a new approach to Local Government finance and stop the austerity plans that will see all Central Government grants to Councils cease by 2020.

Historically Somerset has been chronically underfunded and did not receive its fair share of either grant or education funding. Unfortunately, no previous Government was brave enough to redress the inequity.

To compound the underfunding over the last six years, which has seen £100m removed from our budgets, we also face the following further challenges:

  • Average age of our County’s retired population has risen significantly and continues to rise.
  • Demand for our adults and children’s services has vastly increased.
  • Minimal reserves mean this Council is finding it increasingly more difficult to balance its budget.

The Council, its Councillors, officers and its partners have worked hard to make efficiencies, absorb reductions, restructure our services and try to provide good quality services.

Despite this I am sorry to say if changes are not immediately made to the funding system, the viability of our critical services, those helping some of the most vulnerable people in our society including Adult Social Care and Children’s Social Care, will be under grave threat.

Somerset is not alone, the financial difficulties we face, all other upper tier Councils face. This is therefore a national issue.

I therefore call for Central Government to:

1. Make no further reductions to Local Government in the Autumn Statement.

2. Immediately stop the planned Local Government grant funding reductions.

3. Confirm the amount of Business Rates that will be retained by all Councils in 2020.

This simple proposal will give Councils a period of stability, allow us to plan our financial positions, stop the reductions in our service and provide the critical services to these vulnerable residents that truly need them.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,
Cllr John Osman
Leader of Somerset County Council