SIR - Philip Davies MP in his opinion piece (T&A Saturday September 16) writes, “Mark my words, Bradford is going bust.”
If this is true Bradford will not be alone. I think Conservative Northampton was the first Council to go bust. Yes Birmingham Council, currently Labour controlled, declared itself bankrupt and nearer to home Kirklees Council is in financial difficulty.
No doubt some people are not happy with how local authorities spend their money, but the real cause of the financial difficulties local authorities are experiencing is the reduction in Central Government funding since 2010.
Add to this the increased demands and costs of the care of looked after children and adults and you have a problem faced by all Councils with responsibility for delivering these services.
Incidentally Children’s and Adult Services taken together account for well over two thirds and rising, of such Council budgets.
Of course, with a General Election in the near future, Philip Davies and other Conservative MPs are desperate to blame anyone but themselves and the Conservative Government for the mess they have created. The sooner we have a General Election the better.
Michael Johnson, Prince Street, Haworth
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