One week ahead of the Autumn Statement on Wednesday 22nd November, new analysis from Barnet Labour reveals the devastating cut in government funding to the borough under the Conservatives.
In 2010, under Labour, Barnet received £113 million a year in government funding for local services – the equivalent of £164 million in today’s prices. Yet today, after years of cuts – and the devastating inflation brought on when the Conservatives crashed the British economy – we receive just £61 million, a cut of 63% in real terms.
Even after the Conservatives have forced up council tax in our Barnet by 42%, that still leaves Barnet with a total spending power reduction of 22%.
Publishing the figures, Barnet’s Labour Leader Barry Rawlings has written to the Chancellor ahead of the Autumn Statement to demand a fair deal for London boroughs such as Barnet. The text of the letter is repeated below.
Dear Jeremy,
Conservative Ministers have over recent years taken to bashing North London. While as proud North Londoners, Barnet residents have accepted this as the way Conservatives do politics, it seems as if this attitude has an echo in how the borough is treated. This has been particularly damaging given the wider context.
Under the Conservatives Barnet has taken a battering. Low growth, stagnant wages, high prices and failing public services have been the story of the last 13 years. Over the last 12 months, the inflation your party unleashed with the reckless mini-budget has deepened the cost of living crisis, pushing many Barnet families beyond breaking point.
Yet still, the Conservative Party refuses to give Barnet a fair deal. New analysis reveals the staggering cuts successive Tory chancellors have inflicted in our borough.
In 2010, under Labour, Barnet received £113m a year – the equivalent of £164m today. Today we receive just £61m, a cut of 63%
Even as the Conservatives have forced up council tax by 42%, we still face a spending power reduction of 22%.
Barnet is a proud North London borough, and we have no problem standing on our own two feet – but you are cutting us off at the knees. Your financial approach to us echoes all that anti-North London rhetoric used through the years by Conservative Ministers
In the light of these figures, you must now offer a fair deal for Barnet. Our borough must not be hit harder than other parts of the country.
I look forward to your reply – and a deal for Barnet that is fair, rather than reflecting some inexplicable distain for North London.
Yours,
Cllr Barry Rawlings,
Leader, London Borough of Barnet Council
