Hertsmere Borough Council will receive a £3.5 million increase in funding compared with last year, following the publication of the new Local Government Funding Settlement under the Labour Government.
The uplift represents a major turning point after more than a decade of Conservative austerity, which saw councils across the country stripped of funding and left struggling to protect essential local services.
The scale of the change is stark. Under the Conservatives’ last multi-year funding settlement Hertsmere’s Core Spending Power was cut by 11%, a loss of more than £1.4 million. Since Labour came into government, that decline has been decisively reversed. Hertsmere’s Core Spending Power will now increase by £3.1 million overall during the course of this Parliament, representing growth of 19%, with a £3.5 million increase compared with last year alone.
Cllr Jeremy Newmark, Leader of Hertsmere Borough Council, said after 14 years of Tory austerity, Labour is putting money back into our local services.
“This is a huge moment for Hertsmere. It’ll make a real difference to people’s everyday lives by boosting the services we all rely on. We campaigned for fairer funding and now with your help we’ve got it. A £3.5 million increase in funding in a single year is a clear signal that the era of Tory austerity is over. For years, our council was forced to cope with deep cuts imposed by Conservative governments. Labour has now turned that around and is reversing Tory decline by investing properly in local services, our high streets and our communities.”
He continued:
“Hertsmere lost more than £1.4 million in core funding under the Conservatives. That was not inevitable, it was a political choice. Under Labour, we are seeing a £3.1 million increase in Core Spending Power over the next few years. That is the difference a Labour government makes.”
The additional funding will strengthen Hertsmere’s ability to improve frontline services, support the most vulnerable residents, and invest in neighbourhoods across the borough, after years of being forced to do more with less.
Cllr Newmark added:
“Councils were treated as an afterthought by the Conservatives, expected to manage decline while demand for services increased. This settlement shows that Labour is serious about investing in Britain’s renewal from the ground up, starting with properly funded local government.”
Hertsmere Labour has consistently argued that fair funding is essential if councils are to deliver for their communities. This settlement marks a decisive break with the past and demonstrates the difference Labour makes when in government.
Matt Turmaine, Labour MP for Watford, whose constituency includes parts of Hertsmere, commented:
“This is great news for my constituents in Hertsmere. After years of cuts, insecurity and instability councils like Hertsmere can embark upon building back, improving key services and investing in safer communities.”
After years of Tory cuts, Hertsmere is finally getting the funding it deserves.
