Tim Oliver, Surrey’s council leader, says he is initially pleased with this week’s budget but adds ‘the devil is in the detail’.
In a statement Mr Oliver welcomed the government’s steps to ensure local funding increases and says areas like Surrey must receive a share which enables them to level up within the county.
He highlighted social care being an issue where the council faces higher costs and unmet demand due to recent changes:
Commenting on yesterday’s Budget and Spending Review, Surrey County Council Leader, Cllr Tim Oliver said: “We in Surrey were pleased to see the Chancellor take steps to ensure local government funding increases, with the news of a £4.8bn boost to grant funding over the next three years. I’d like to personally commend Secretary of State and local Surrey MP Michael Gove for working so closely with the Chancellor to secure the desperately needed resources for councils. Of course, the devil is in the detail and we need to know how this money will be allocated. We must ensure that areas like Surrey receive shares that enable us to level up within as well as between parts of the UK.
“This is especially true in areas like social care, where Surrey County Council faces higher costs and unmet demand in years ahead due to the recently announced measures around the health and social care levy, new rights of private funders to council’s reduced rates, and the statutory changes to eligibility of children’s care. We must work together to find not only a lasting solution to the issue of sustainable funding for social care, but also how we attract and reward the workforce to ensure the high standard of care our residents expect.
“As we did in the run up to the Budget and Spending Review where we put forward a strong case for additional resources to address the financial pressures facing the County, we will now be working closely with government ahead of the Local Government Finance Settlement at the end of this year to understand and engage on how funding is to be shared out. This will ensure Surrey residents can continue to rely on the excellent services we at SCC are able to provide and to respond to changing needs over the coming years.”
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