Council calls for ‘fairer funding’ in face of ‘unprecedented’ money challenges
manchestereveningnews.co.ukLeaders of Oldham council have called for the new government to introduce ‘fairer funding’ for local authorities. Councillors discussed the ‘severity’ of the borough’s financial situation at a cabinet meeting on August 19.
The council spent £6.5m more than budgeted in the last three months, leaving it with a projected overspend of £26m. READ NEXT: The 'lovely little lad' whose venture stole Wythenshawe's heart Speaking at the meeting, the council’s finance boss Abdul Jabbar said the amount would be “unprecedented” for the council.
He noted that £3.5m of the council’s overspend was in children’s services, £1.4m in adult social care and £1.2m in strategic housing.
Jabbar said: “We’re not alone in seeing significant pressure in those areas. If you look at most of the Greater Manchester authorities, they are facing similar pressures. “I think this has happened because for a number of years the previous government didn’t give local authorities the right level of resources in areas where there was growing demand.
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