20/2/08 Fighting for Gloucestershire “tedious” says Labour

Fighting for Gloucestershire “tedious” says Labour

Councillors at a meeting at Shire Hall today were shocked by a statement by Gloucestershire County Council’s Labour Group Leader, Maureen Rutter, that she was “sick of people complaining about Gloucestershire’s funding” and that she found the issue “tedious”.  Gloucestershire’s schools are among the 12th lowest funded of any in Britain.  According to the Government a Gloucestershire child, at £3,744 pa, is worth £322 less than the average child - and a massive £2,545 less than a child in central London.  Gloucestershire’s NHS, police and councils all receive less than average funding. 

Until 2005 the chairman of national fair funding F40 Group, was then Labour Group Leader Peter Clarke.

Cllr Barry Dare, Leader of Gloucestershire County Council, commented:

“I’m ashamed that Labour are putting support for their party before fighting for Gloucestershire.  In the past, a Gloucestershire Labour councillor lead the fight for fair funding for this county – now they’ve completely changed their position.  People in this county will be very disappointed to hear that Labour has apparently given up on representing their interests.”