A Labour councillor has accused the government of ‘hating’ Hyndburn ‘because we’re poor’.
Coun Joan Smith told a council meeting last week that the borough has been ‘really hit hard’ in recent years.
Figures show councils on average in 2015/16 will face a 1.8 per cent funding drop from central government, however Hyndburn is one of the worst affected with 6.4 per cent.
Southern councils including Tewksbury, Surrey and Cambridge will also see rises.
Coun Smith said: “We are not one of these rich southern boroughs that obviously needs more money. They hate us because we are poor. Household income over the last 12 months has actually gone down 4.1 per cent in Hyndburn.”
Coun Paul Cox claimed the government was ‘attempting to break Hyndburn’ and was ‘making a very good job of it’.
He said: “We are one of the 19 worst councils hit in the country this year. They are targeting the weakest.”
Council leader Miles Parkinson said there was a clear ‘north-south divide’.
He said: “This council has received the worst funding settlements year in, year out, and even the government figures state that.”
But Tory leader Coun Peter Britcliffe said the council’s total expenditure had ‘increased’ by £400,000 over four years. He said: “So much for being the worst hit council in the council and ‘austerity plus’.”
