The leader of Southampton City Council has joined forces with nearby authority leaders to demand “urgent action” on funding to “protect local services”.

Councillor Satvir Kaur - together with leaders of Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, and Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole councils - has written to Jeremy Hunt saying local authority funding is “not sustainable”.

The letter was sent ahead of the Autumn Statement on Wednesday. 

It comes as Southampton City Council is set to axe another 50 jobs - and is considering asking for emergency cash from the Government.

Council staff have reduced the authority's deficit but need to find more savings.

Cllr Kaur - and the other leaders - urged the Chancellor to take “urgent action” to “protect local services within our region and deliver fairer funding for Local Governments”.

The leaders said: “We are writing ahead of the Autumn Statement you are preparing to deliver this week, to highlight the very serious issue and concerns we share over Local Government finances and ask you to take urgent action to preserve the vital public services people rely on by delivering a fair deal for Councils within our Central South and Solent region.

“Councils across the country, of all political colours, are united in saying that Local Government funding is not sustainable.

“An increasing number of councils are warning they are at breaking point and the cross-party Local Government Association has warned that councils in England will face a £4 billion budget shortfall by March 2025."

The councillors blamed the funding pressures on Government policy and “decades of austerity measures”.

They said: “Simply relying on councils to increase council tax again is not a sustainable option and will not meet the budget shortfalls we are all facing.”

They added: “Without immediate action, councils like ours will need to make increasingly tough decisions about services we will have to reduce or stop entirely.

“There is an opportunity in your Autumn Statement this week to protect local services within our region and deliver fairer funding for Local Government so that we can ensure individuals and families within our areas can thrive, and our region can reach its economic potential.”

The letter in full

Dear Chancellor of the Exchequer,

We are writing ahead of the Autumn Statement you are preparing to deliver this week, to highlight the very serious issue and concerns we share over Local Government finances and ask you to take urgent action to preserve the vital public services people rely on by delivering a fair deal for Councils within our Central South and Solent region.

Councils across the country, of all political colours, are united in saying that Local Government funding is not sustainable. An increasing number of councils are warning they are at breaking point and the cross-party Local Government Association has warned that councils in England will face a £4 billion budget shortfall by March 2025.

Our own Councils are currently subject to a range of funding pressures that require government support, including increasing demand for long-term care arrangements in adult social care; increased children's services costs, which relate, in the main, to higher prices for supporting children and young people in residential and supported accommodation.

These funding pressures are largely as a direct result of Government policy, which has come after a decade of austerity measures. Simply relying on Councils to increase council tax again is not a sustainable option and will not meet the budget shortfalls we are all facing.

Without immediate action, Councils like ours will need to make increasingly tough decisions about services we will have to reduce or stop entirely.

There is an opportunity in your Autumn Statement this week to protect local services within our region and deliver fairer funding for Local Government so that we can ensure individuals and families within our areas can thrive, and our region can reach its economic potential.

Yours sincerely

Councillor Vikki Slade, Leader, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council

Councillor Phil Jordan, Leader, Isle of Wight Council

Councillor Steve Pitt, Leader, Portsmouth City Council

Councillor Satvir Kaur, Leader, Southampton City Council