Mayor Dave Writes: Fairer Funding Needed for Crucial Services to Have a 'Fighting Chance'

In a letter published in the Bedfordshire on Sunday newspaper, Mayor Dave Hodgson has pledged to fight alongside colleagues to save as many services as possible in the face of 'brutal' government cuts, while reiterating his call for fairer funding for crucial services to have a 'fighting chance'.

You can sign Mayor Dave's petition for fairer funding from the Government for local services in Bedford Borough here

Here's the full text of Mayor Dave's letter, which was in response to the front page of Bedfordshire on Sunday on the funding crisis for the Council earlier this month:

"The front page of the Bedfordshire on Sunday lays out the scale of the challenge facing those of us fighting to save services here in Bedford Borough. Local services are under assault from Westminster. With £81 million already saved since 2010, a further Government cut of 25 to 40% is due, and the business rates announcement this week does not change this.

Here in Bedford Borough, we have fought successfully to avoid the widespread cuts and closures seen elsewhere across the country. Efficiency savings have included reducing 17 council office bases down to one, and saving millions by reducing senior management. However, with these measures having been taken, the scope for savings without harmful cuts is disappearing year on year as the government chooses to tighten the screws.

I will fight alongside colleagues to save as many services as we can in the coming years from these brutal government cuts. We want to have a genuine consultation on this with residents, and encourage everyone to have a look at the first set of savings proposals and give their views.

We will work day in, day out to save services on the Council. We also need to send a message to the Government that we will not accept the death of vital local services via reckless cuts. We must have fairer funding to give us a fighting chance of saving crucial services for our community here in Bedford Borough.

Mayor Dave Hodgson

Elected Mayor and Leader of Bedford Borough Council"