Councils join forces to challenge Government funding cuts

Wokingham Borough Council has joined neighbouring Bracknell Forest to highlight concerns over the speed with which changes to local government funding have been put in place.

The Government introduced a new way of allocating funds to local councils at the end of last year after its Fairer Funding Review. The council estimates this change will mean its funding from the Government is reduced by £43m over the next three years.

The changes have come on top of increasing needs among residents and rising prices and the speed of the changes has made it difficult for some councils to balance their budgets.

Wokingham Borough Council is working with Bracknell Forest Council and other similarly affected authorities to show government ministers how changes to grant funding will affect local people and communities.  

Leader of Wokingham Borough Council, Cllr Stephen Conway, said: “The funding settlement we received from the Government is the worst we have ever had. 

“Wokingham Borough is an affluent place and so, as the Government attempts to shift funding to more deprived areas, we inevitably lost out. But a lot of our costs are not related to deprivation, they are related to adult and children’s social care needs – which are increasing dramatically here. 

“We are calling for a full discussion with Government ministers so we can show what this change means for our local people and our borough in the short-term.”  

Leaders from the two councils will write to the minister responsible for local government funding to request that reductions in each council's core grant between 2026 to 2027 and 2028 to 2029 be capped at a maximum of 10%. 

They will also invite the minister to discuss their concerns about how essential services can be safeguarded against a backdrop of rising demand, rising costs and reduced Government funding.