Image caption, Westmorland and Furness Council leader Jonathan Brook says vulnerable people in his area could be affected by cuts to government grantsByBob CooperNorth East and Cumbria political reporterPublished8 January 2026 Cumbrian council leaders have said the county is losing out under changes to the way local areas are funded. Jonathan Brook, the Liberal Democrat leader of Westmorland and Furness Council, said local people would "feel some of the pain" if the government did not change course. Ministers published a proposed local government finance settlement, external before Christmas, but some critics have said it favours towns and cities at the expense of rural areas. A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) spokesperson said the government would "fix the outdated and unfair funding system" it inherited. The settlement sets out how much money councils are expected to get through council tax, business rates and government grants.
Published: January 8, 2026 5:49 pm
Source: BBC — Read original