Government 'error' costs Durham council £224,000 (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
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Government 'error' costs Durham council £224,000
10:00pm Wednesday 6th February 2013 in News
Exclusive By Mark Tallentire, Reporter (Durham)
COUNCIL chiefs are fuming after the Government promised them nearly £250,000 in extra funding – only to withdraw the offer within 24 hours.
On Monday, Durham County Council was unexpectedly included on a list of rural areas to share in £8.5m.
However, within 24 hours, the Labour-run authority was told it had been scrubbed from the list – robbing it of £224,000 for 2013-14, a year in which the authority faces nearly £21m of cuts.
In a statement, a spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said the original list had been incorrect.
“The allocations of the ‘efficiency support for services in sparse areas’ placed on the DCLG website on 4 February were incorrect,” he said.
“As soon as we realised this – within 24 hours – the correct version was put on the website and councils were informed.”
It is unclear how many other councils are affected. Northumberland and North Yorkshire remain on the funding list, with the latter in line for £374,000.
The Rural Services Network, which lobbied for the extra cash, says the list has been “heavily revised” but it has been unable to contact anyone at DCLG to find out more.
Durham council leader Simon Henig said: “It’s a big mystery. It’s all very strange. We want the mystery to be resolved.
“If we’re not on the list, we will want to know why. Weardale and Teesdale are as rural as anywhere in the country – if not more.
“It doesn’t make sense if we’ve dropped off the list.”
Coun Henig wants the money spent on boosting the county’s flood defences, after 2012 was Durham’s wettest year on record.
Ministers announced the extra funding after Tory-run shires revolted against what they said were unfair cuts in local government grants.
Rural councils had been due to receive 3.81 per cent less funding from Whitehall – compared with cuts of 2.05 per cent for urban authorities.
On Monday, local government minister Brandon Lewis said the settlement was “fair to North and South, fair to rural and urban areas and fair to shires and metropolitan areas”.
More Durham County Council News
Comments(8)
BMD
says...
5:09am Thu 7 Feb 13
Durham council leader Simon Henig said: “If we’re not on the list, we will want to know why.
Is this bloke form this planet, first he is not expecting to be included, now he wants to know why Durham are not on the list.
Which Numpties voted for this Balloon
simmo707
says...
8:21am Thu 7 Feb 13
All MP’S including ministers let their guard down yesterday in the House of Commons .At Prime Ministers Question Time Labour’s MP Michael McCann stood up and asked “does the Prime Minister think that ATOS will find Richard 111 fit for work” .Referring to his skeleton being unearthed recently Considering that ATOS are responsible for over 10,000 deaths it was totally in poor taste ,but it gave you an unguarded insight into what the Government and Opposition really think of the General Publics concerns and misgivings over Welfare Reform – they both don’t Care !
Watch the Video and make your own mind up whether raucous laughter from both sides of the House showed any understanding or compassion to the plight of us the General Public through there ill thought out Policies . www.brokebritainunde
rtories.com
Yorshire Born
says...
9:24am Thu 7 Feb 13
.
I'm dumb founded at the "sheer coincidence"........ Just one more way for the Tory scum to stick the boot into a county council they've hacked, slashed and given a financial kicking to....... Brilliant, I'll look forward to more meetings where colleagues jobs are under review then...... Fabulous..... No doubt the management will still be in place when there's no Indians left for the chiefs to watch over...... Sickening.
greenfinger
says...
4:56pm Thu 7 Feb 13
greenfinger
says...
4:57pm Thu 7 Feb 13
Taxpaying Homeowner
says...
10:29am Fri 8 Feb 13
The government didn't 'promise' anything and DCC were 'robbed' of nothing. The public sector organisation published a set of figures which had an error on it, it was noted and rectified within 24 hours.....
Bad reporting and hugely biased as ever
simmo707
says...
12:48pm Fri 8 Feb 13
Cameron’s credibility has sunk even lower after his Question Time laughing episode over the ATOS jibe by a Labour MP ,which he answered unaided with the skill of a devious calculator . He then went on to make a speech about the Hospital untimely deaths and conditions .If it wasn’t for a pressure group that would not give in the whole episode of the scandal would have been swept under the carpet .The man in charge of the NHS Sir David Nicholson refuses to resign although he knew of the systematic failings within the Service he controlled .The pressure group were brought to his attention about their complaints and concerns about the conditions and related deaths within the NHS but he dismissed them as ‘trouble makers’ for that alone he should be sacked for neglect of duty .Anyone who has concerns should make a complaint to the Police – at least it will be on RECORD . www.brokenbritainund
ertories.com
theWorkerScum says...
11:20pm Wed 6 Feb 13