Reaction to Bradford Council being on brink of bankruptcy

The blame game is well and truly underway in Bradford, with some people pointing the finger at central Government for underfunding Councils and others blaming "Labour incompetence in their running of Bradford Council."

A new report into the Council’s finances said that without “exceptional” Government support, the authority will have to issue a Section 114 notice – meaning the Council is essentially bankrupt.

With no new financial commitments to Councils announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, Bradford Council has said it will struggle to balance its books, with the level of Government funding for Councils coming in for fierce critcism.

The Labour-led Council has said it will have to implement job cuts, raise income and carry out a plan for the disposal of Council-owned land and assets.

One of the district's Conservative MPs has hit out at the authority, calling it a “disgrace” that will be “another kick in the teeth for taxpayers”.

Philip Davies, MP for Shipley, said: “This is the crowning culmination of Labour incompetence in their running of Bradford Council, and yet another kick in the teeth for council taxpayers across the Bradford district who will be the ones who pick up the tab for this utter shambles.

“Local residents are now going to have to pay even more and will get even less in return. It is a disgrace."

Shipley MP Philip Davies has hit out at the Council

“I have been warning for some time that Bradford Council is heading for bankruptcy. They have been spending money as if it is going out of fashion in the centre of Bradford, whilst neglecting other parts of the district.

“It has even managed the virtually impossible task of vastly overspending on children’s services whilst running it so badly that we have had a series of terrible scandals and it taken out of council control by the government.

"This should be the final proof that anyone needs that my constituency needs to break away from Bradford Council.

"In the meantime, Susan Hinchcliffe and her incompetent executive need to resign."

Another MP, Robbie Moore, who represents Keighley and Ilkley, also blamed the Labour leadership and called for his constituency to also break away.

Mr Moore said: "At this critical moment in time, our Labour leadership are desperately scrambling to find someone else to blame, pointing fingers at others and attempting to clear themselves of any kind of responsibility for this mess whilst the Bradford district slowly sinks into bankruptcy.

"It tells you all you need to know about the dismal leadership Keighley and Ilkley has had to suffer under Cllr Hinchcliffe’s Bradford Council.

"The case to take Keighley and Ilkley out of Bradford Council control and form our own unitary authority, which puts local priorities first, has never been stronger. And as Keighley and Ilkley's MP, that is exactly what I will continue to fight for.“

Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore says it's time to break away from Bradford

Imran Hussain, Labour MP for Bradford East, said local authorities across the country are in a similar situation and said this is "a direct result of 13 years of brutal cuts which have slashed local budgets by half, and which have not been implemented by those in the towns and cities who are being affected, but by Government Ministers isolated in Whitehall".

He added: "Not only have these 13 years of Tory Government cuts left Bradford Council struggling to make up for funding whilst more affluent areas of the country escape the damage, but these same brutal ideological austerity cuts on services elsewhere have created unprecedented demand on the services still provided by Bradford Council, forcing smaller local budgets to now go even further. 

"The blame for the financial challenges facing local authorities in Bradford, Nottingham, Northamptonshire and so many others lies squarely with successive Ministers, Chancellors and Prime Ministers.

"They must now take responsibility for what they have done, and they must step in before it’s too late.” 

The Telegraph & Argus has also contacted Bradford West's Naz Shah and Bradford South's Judith Cummins, but is yet to receive a response. 

A union boss has blamed the Conservative government for a decade of cuts which have puts councils into a “worrying financial position”.

Tony Pearson, UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside head of local government, said: “Bradford is the latest council, both in Yorkshire and across the country, in financial difficulties.

“More than a decade of cuts to local government funding by the Conservatives have left the council in this worrying financial position.

“Communities in Bradford rely on the council for all kinds of essential services like waste collection and road repairs.

“Staff levels have already been cut and these services can’t run on thin air.

“The government needs to recognise the extent of the crisis in councils like Bradford and intervene with significant extra funding.”

Metro mayors representing over 8.5 million people have joined forces to call on the Government to step forward with emergency support for towns halls on the brink of financial collapse.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin has led an intervention, backed by mayors from across the country, by writing to Local Government Secretary Michael Gove calling for more resources for struggling councils.

Ms Brabin said: “We as mayors have ambitious plans for our regions but we will never be able to deliver the full potential of devolution while our local authority partners are left on a financial cliff edge.

“We are seeing more demand than ever before for local public services and it is clear more urgent action must be taken.

“Councils across the country are struggling and we are urging the government to do the right thing and step in take action to support them before it’s too late.”