Saturday 25 November 2006

Poole: ‘Tell Tony to give more’

Poole Council leader Cllr Brian Leverett has issued a plea to local residents for help in getting fairer funding for the district from central government.

Unless funding improves, Cllr Leverett claims, there will have to be drastic cuts in essential services, such as social services, in the future.

Concerned that every year Poole is falling further and further behind, the Borough is now asking people to make their feelings known.

Along with Cllr Leverett, deputy leader Cllr Ann Stribley said: "I want to say to the people of Poole: write to Tony Blair – the buck stops at 10 Downing Street – and express in their own words their total dissatisfaction."

The inequality can be graphically demonstrated closer to home where borough boundaries split roads in half.

In Spicer Lane, Bearwood, people living on the Poole side get £168 per head while Bournemouth residents get £294.

Cllr Stribley said it made no sense that Poole received £128 less to spend per child on education than Bournemouth.

Warning that the future looks bleak, Cllr Leverett’s budget forecast now is for a £3-3.5m shortfall.

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