Bulwell councillor says financial settlement marks ‘reversal of deliberate political underfunding’ of city council

Bulwell councillor Ethan Radford views a significant increase in funding for Nottingham City Council as a “reversal of a policy of deliberate political underfunding,” following over a decade of annual settlements revealed shortly before budget deadlines. The Labour Party states the council will receive a 40% increase, totaling an extra £154.5m over the current parliament. Radford acknowledges past funding cuts have had visible consequences for the city, stating, “No-one can deny that Nottingham…have received huge local government funding cuts.” He also highlighted previous criticisms of funding being allocated based on political considerations, referencing comments made by a former Prime Minister about redirecting funds from cities like Nottingham to areas like Tunbridge Wells.

Despite the positive outlook, Radford emphasizes that increased funding alone won’t resolve challenges in adult social care and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). He points to projected deficits in high needs funding reserves, indicating a need to address the underlying causes of rising demand in these services. He stated, “You can’t just throw money at a problem…There does need to be a fundamental addressing of the root causes.”

The council aims to use the additional funding to improve city services and create a “cleaner, safer, nicer place to be,” but recognizes the necessity of long-term, sustainable solutions beyond simply increasing financial input.

(Source：Hucknall Dispatch)