Bucks Labour MPs rejects Council Leader’s claims on Budget

On Tuesday afternoon (5 November) the three Buckinghamshire Labour MPs wrote to Cllr Martin Tett (Leader of Buckinghamshire Council) to reject his claims that the Autumn Budget would put “immense pressure” on the Local Authority.

In a joint letter signed by Callum Anderson MP (Buckingham and Bletchley), Laura Kyrke-Smith MP (Aylesbury) and Emma Reynolds MP (Wycombe), the Members of Parliament focused on the positive benefits of the Budget, including that there has been an increase of the Local Government Grant.

They highlighted that local councils are getting a £600m increase in social care budgets, a £500m fund to fix potholes and a continuation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for a further year, providing £900m for places, businesses, and skills.

They also emphasised that the Budget had allocated £1bn nationally for SEND and alternative provision funding, an issue which the MPs say they have seen raised repeatedly on the doorstep.

In the letter they said:“We have been listening to constituents across Buckinghamshire and the whole country and have recognised that more needs to be done to give every pupil the education they deserve.”

The future of SEND funding has been marked as a priority in the upcoming Spring Spending Review. Labour’s 2024 manifesto stated: “Labour will take a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.”

Reflecting on the Budget, and how it will affect Buckinghamshire Council, Callum Anderson MP said:

“I’m so pleased that the first Labour Budget in 14 years marks a clear break from austerity and the budget cuts that councils were forced to make year-on-year. I have heard from Cllr Tett first-hand that he would like more resource to do the job well, and that is exactly what our Government has provided.”

Labour have announced that council funding will be a priority in the upcoming Spring Spending review next year.