Oldham’s Liberal Democrats have warned that Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has handed councils a “ticking time bomb” with his Autumn Statement.

Commenting on the Chancellors Statement and after securitising the detail, Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “Jeremy Hunt has just handed councils like Oldham a ticking time bomb with this Budget.  His government has lost control of the economy and to make up for it, he is now passing the burden to councils and in turn, council taxpayers.  All at a time when everyone is struggling with the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades.  Conservative mistakes, but apparently everyone else must pay for them.”

In a cross-party statement following Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement the Local Government Association said, “Financial turbulence is as damaging to local government as it is for our businesses and financial markets and all councils and vital services, such as social care, planning, waste and recycling collection and leisure centres, continue to face an uncertain future.”

Councillor Sykes said, “People are experiencing the biggest fall in living standards for decades and instead of offering proper funding, the government is trying to force councils to put up council tax.  Nobody was talking about public spending cuts before the disastrous mini budget crashed the economy under Liz Truss.  Now this latest Chancellor is trying to make everyone else pay for the clean-up.”