'Only the beginning' - Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash welcomes Government funding plans for Hartlepool Borough Council

Labour MP Jonathan Brash said the recently announced 2025-26 provisional local government finance settlement provides “millions” to boost the authority and will prevent additional “devastating” cuts.

Hartlepool Borough Council initially faced a £10million-plus deficit from next April.

The use of £3.5million in reserves and £2.954million saving proposals, currently being considered by councillors, reduces the deficit to £4.065million, which also includes assumed rises in core council tax and the adult social care precept.

Mr Brash said the provisional funding announcement for the council will “wipe that £4million deficit out” and there is “even scope over and above that for funding that’s going to be able to add to services”.

He continued: “This a really, really good start, it should be seen in the round as incredibly positive.

“That last £4million, without the help from the government, that would have started removing services that would have been devastating for Hartlepool.

“Hartlepool is millions, and millions, and millions of pounds better off than they were expecting to be as a result of the positive decisions being taken by this government.”

He said the provisional settlement includes a £3.6 million recovery grant to address some of the town’s “most pressing needs” and £776,000 to tackle homelessness.

Mr Brash stressed the council will still have to make “some really tough decisions” to balance the budget and that the Labour Government “can’t unravel 14 years of austerity and cuts in five months”.

He added: “What you’re seeing is a government that is listening to the needs of the Hartlepool public and trying to reverse the enormous damage that has been done over the last 14 years.

“It is only the beginning, but we are starting that journey to a better place after 14 years of failure.”

Labour’s Councillor Brenda Harrison, the council’s leader, said the funding announcement is “looking positive”.

She added: “We are not out of the woods, there is a lot of work to be done, but it does give us breathing space to actually look forward with a little bit of hope and positivity for the future.”

Final budget decisions are expected in early 2025.