GM Mayor Andy Burnham has responded to the Government’s spending plans covering 2020-21 as set out by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid, in the Spending Round announcement in the House of Commons.
Following the announcement that an additional Police Officers are to be recruited over the next three years, Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, reacted:
“Over the last decade, Greater Manchester Police have lost around 2000 officers and vital social care budgets have been stretched to breaking point. It shouldn’t have taken this long for the Government to recognise that its cuts to these essential services had gone way too far.”
Andy continued:
“It is very disappointing, however, that the Chancellor has not listened to fire and rescue services across the country, which have also faced devastating cuts by Government over recent years. While Ministers have heard the argument about police it must do the same for fire and rescue services.
“We welcome the Chancellor’s focus in his statement on investing in transport in the North, but repeated promises have still not turned in to detailed plans. The North needs bankable commitments, not warm words.
“With a General Election now clearly on the horizon it is time that all parties laid out firm plans to create the Powerhouse that North has been promised so many times.”
The full Spending Round document can be viewed here.