Response to the chancellor's Autumn Statement

Leader of Leeds City Council Councillor Judith Blake said:

“Having listened to the Autumn Statement we are now waiting to see the full details behind the announcements and especially the government grant settlements to follow in December. Local authorities and especially those in the north like Leeds have already borne the brunt of cuts in the last parliament, losing more than 40 per cent of core funding since 2010, so we look forward to seeing how the government lives up to the chancellor’s words today of a commitment to changing the ‘geographical imbalance that has bedevilled the British economy’ in terms of the north-south divide.

“We will look carefully at the proposed changes to public health and also the council tax increase presented as a Hobson’s choice in order to fund social care, as well as changes to schools funding and providing affordable housing. We look forward to the government living up to its commitment to rebalance and boost our national economy by dismantling the reliance on Whitehall and giving local areas control of their own destiny.”

ENDS 

Leeds City Council communications:

Tel: 0113 395 0244

Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk