Lib Dem campaigners call on ‘Levelling Up Taskforce’ Chair to secure fairer funding for Leicestershire

Liberal Democrat campaigners in Hinckley and Bosworth are calling on the Chair of a new 'Levelling Up' taskforce, who is a Leicestershire MP, to ensure that Leicestershire finally gets the fairer funding it deserves.

Borough and County Councillor for Hinckley Michael Mullaney and Parish Councillor for Barwell Mathew Hulbert are calling on Neil O'Brien, the Tory MP for Harborough, to listen to the long-held concerns of elected representatives cross-party and members of the public in regards to the county being one of the worst funded in the country in a host of policy areas, from education to infrastructure spending.

The new task force has been set up to help the Prime Minister in his professed claim to want to 'level up' the economies of the different regions and nations of the country.

Councillor Mullaney says, "Here in Leicestershire we are the worst funded county by this Tory government in the country.

This means cuts to services whether that's bus services funding cut, SureStart Children's Centres being closed, lack of money to repair roads or for measures to tackle speeding on some local roads, whilst people still see the County Council raising their Council Tax.

Whilst schools in Leicestershire are among the worst funded in the country, contributing to low levels of social mobility locally.

Meaning a young person born in poverty in Hinckley and Bosworth is tragically very likely to remain in that position."

Councillor Hulbert says, "Leicestershire's Tory MPs have proven themselves, over a long period of time, worse than useless when it comes to getting fairer funding for the County they were sent to Parliament to represent.

"We can but hope that Mr O'Brien, given his new position, can finally get his government to recognise the gross unfairness in funding being faced by our residents in Leicestershire and the devastating impact it has on people in a whole host of ways.

"For our part we will be putting all the pressure we can on him and the government to finally give Leicestershire the fairer funding our county and its people deserve."