Local councils covering Priti Patel’s Witham constituency have been left worse off as a result of Labour’s funding settlement for local authorities. For 2026/27, Braintree District Council and Maldon District Council will see the cash grants they receive from central government cut, while a small increase in cash grants for Essex County Council will still be below the rate of inflation, meaning a real terms cash cut. The Essex Fire and Rescue Service is also seeing its funding slashed by Labour.
As well as facing real terms funding cuts from Labour, these local councils are also faced with the rising costs of Labour’s National Insurance Contributions rises and new burdens. These funding cuts also come at a time when Labour is imposing local government reorganisation on Essex, has delayed reforms to adult social care, and has changed the planning system to impose more housing targets on Essex. Labour is expecting and pressing local councils to put Council Tax bills up by the maximum permissible amount to cover the shortfalls in funding the government provides.
Priti said:
“This settlement is appalling for Essex, with Labour slashing funding for councils that provide vital frontline services. These funding cuts are the last thing our councils needed on top of all the chaos and confusion Labour are causing with local government reorganisation, new central government targets in planning policies, the cancelling of elections and huge new costs and burdens being imposed.”
“Labour have trashed the economy, sent our councils into chaos and are now forcing councils in Essex to pay the price. These real terms cuts in cash grants puts the local delivery of important council services, covering education, children's and adults social care provision under pressure, which could force the public to pay more in Council Tax to make up the shortfalls.”
“Labour will not find funding for councils in Essex to deliver important local public services, have axed the fully funded A12 road widening scheme, and cancelled funding for a new primary school in Witham. But Keir Starmer’s Labour government has found £35bn to hand over to Mauritius as part of their failed Chagos Surrender Treaty where they are giving away an important British Overseas Territory, billions of pounds to once again give to the EU and billions more to create a benefits culture across the UK instead of helping people into work and growing the economy.”
