Sefton Council has received just £3.5m from the government – despite facing a whopping £23m shortfall due to its coronavirus response.
The latest instalment of emergency funding has this week been awarded to boroughs in the Liverpool City Region.
Despite having the third largest population in the region, Sefton has received the lowest amount of emergency funding.
Sefton Council’s leader, Cllr Ian Maher, said the local authority had “once again let down by the Conservative Government”.
Cllr Maher said: “I am disappointed that once again funding provided from central government falls woefully short of what we need to support our communities at this time.
“The government’s decision not to include social care as part of the funding formula means that Sefton’s share is the lowest in the City Region.
“This government have no idea or understanding of financial issues caused by 10 years of coalition and Conservative austerity policies and the continuing fiscal shortfall at this precarious time.
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“The ongoing pandemic is adding further pressure on our finances and with millions of pounds’ shortfall already predicted, government really must look at this allocation again.
“ Labour-led Sefton Council will continue to do all we can to support people hardest hit by the pandemic, while also continuing to provide a range of essentials services to people across the borough, with whatever means we have available to us.
“However, once again, government have not held the promise they made at the start of the pandemic that they would give local councils ‘whatever it takes’.”
Liverpool City Council will receive just over £19m, while Wirral Council’s share is £5.4m.
Knowsley, St Helens, and Halton will receive £5.3m, £3.9m and £3.6m respectively.
Southport Lib Dem councillor John Pugh says the “crass” decision will push up the council tax bills of those living in Sefton.
Cllr Pugh said: “This is not a academic point, this will have an impact on next year’s council tax bills.
“The government have chosen not to recognise the extra pressures created by having a more elderly population and the result is that Sefton’s share of government funding plummets.
“This seems a crass government decision when it’s the elderly that need most protection but it’s a crass decision that potentially will affect every citizen in Sefton.”
To date, Sefton Council has received £23.7m in government funding, around £86 for every person living in the borough.
Knowsley Council has received the equivalent of around £121 per person, with Liverpool Council getting around £119 per person.
Halton, St Helens, and Wirral councils will have received around £100, £95, and £91 per member of the population, respectively.
All councils in the Liverpool City Region are predicting a huge financial shortfall due to their responses to the pandemic.
