By way of the opening Party People column for 2008 let me say Happy New Year to all readers of Medway Messenger. Despite the tough times ahead, we will all be working hard to make 2008 both successful and enjoyable.
One of the features of my column of the past months has been the constant complaint that the government is giving Medway inadequate cash settlements. In particularly the cash available has not recognised the demands placed on Medway Council by our increasing numbers of people needing social care.
At last the government has begun to listen, and I would love to be able to report a happy ending to this saga. There is a sign of progress, but we are far from a happy ending!
The new Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the government recognised the financial pressures being caused by increasing numbers of people needed social care — whether they be young, old or disabled — and would be "moving towards" better funding arrangements.
The cash settlement for Medway Council was £1.8 million more than we had been expecting or predicting in our financial planning. Hooray!
It seemed that government was at last realising the error if its ways. But wait. Remember that last year the government took away £4.5 million of Medway‘s money to fund other councils elsewhere in the country?
Well this year they gave us extra cash, at the same time taking away over £5.5 million to funding other councils!
Now according to one of the Labour members representing Twydall Ward, in Gillingham, this is all right, because his Ward is not deprived enough to receive a decent cash settlement. According to him Medway is less deprived than those parts of the country that receive more cash per head of population — places like Brighton for example which receives £25 million a year more than Medway.
Now if you live in certain parts of Medway you might not appreciate being told by Labour councillors that it is all right for the Labour government to take £5.5 million of Medway‘s money to send to Labour-run areas like Middlesborough or Derby. Perhaps you are happy that Labour‘s national calculations are being used as an excuse to rob Medway of the money that is rightfully ours.
Happy New Year!