Herefordshire Council leader issues warning to PM over services

Independent council leader David Hitchiner has written to the Prime Minister

A council leader has written to the Prime Minister asking for "immediate financial assistance" to help it pay for services.

David Hitchiner of Herefordshire Council warned of "significant financial challenges" with services "becoming impossible to maintain".

The Chancellor's autumn statement last week enabled councils to increase council tax payments to 5%.

But this would not even cover "inflationary costs", he warned.

Without government help, "we shall need to take extremely difficult decisions about which vital services to reduce further or stop entirely", the independent councillor said in his letter to Rishi Sunak.

He had earlier warned that the council's revenue budget deficit could rise to £57m by 2026/27, but said this "could turn out to be worse," reported the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Herefordshire Council services could be reduced or stopped without financial help, the leader said.

Herefordshire has the lowest median earnings in the West Midlands and yearly household income is below the England average, he explained.

"We have significant areas of deprivation, with fuel, childhood and food poverty being of particular concern."

A network of community hubs are doubling up as warm spaces for the winter, he said.

"What we are seeking now is a sufficient level of sustained funding from Westminster.

"This is essential to allow us to continue to deliver vital and much valued services to the most vulnerable in our communities so that we can effectively plan services for our rural county into the future."

In a statement, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: "We understand the pressures facing councils and we are working with them to ensure vital services are protected.

"Councils will have the flexibility to raise money through council tax, but we expect them to exercise restraint. Protecting the most vulnerable households remains our priority and those on the lowest incomes are able to apply for council tax reductions."