Call on Government to provide for Capital's poorest

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 18th Sep 2002

Sally Hamwee, Liberal Democrat London Assembly member and Deputy Chair, has welcomed the unanimous vote by the Assembly to call on the Government to consider carefully the capital's deprivation levels and population density in its funding formulae for the Greater London Authority [GLA] and its Functional Bodies [FBs] such as Fire and Police services.

At the moment, the FBs are viewed as separate entities, but for others they are taken as a single body, for some financial calculations. The Government needs to be aware of this so that increases in funding for one service such as policing, do not unintentionally reduce funding for another service such as the Fire Brigade.

As part of its response to the Government's consultation on changes to local government funding, Members are to press the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, to take full account of particular London factors.

Sally Hamwee said:

"London already funds the rest of the country to the tune of some £19 billion. There is a danger that some of the technical changes to the way central government grant is distributed could disadvantage London hugely, and the Assembly is determined to press the case for London."