Burnley MP Oliver Ryan welcomes Local Government Funding Settlement, confirming a major funding boost for Lancashire
Burnley MP Oliver Ryan has welcomed this week’s announcement of the Local Government Funding Settlement, confirming a major funding boost for Lancashire – and calling it a clear win for Burnley after sustained campaigning to fix a broken system that he said short-changed communities for over a decade.
Under the previous settlement, Lancashire lost £54.2 million (7%) between 2015/16 and 2019/20 under the Conservatives. Since the change in the funding formulas, Lancashire will gain £310 million – a 27% increase – over this parliament (2024/25 to 2028/29).
Around 80% of funding for services in the Burnley borough comes from Lancashire County Council in comparison to Burnley Council.
Mr Ryan said the settlement reflects the case he has repeatedly made in Parliament and directly to Ministers: that towns like Burnley were hit hardest by austerity and deserve funding that properly reflects deprivation, need and pressure on services.
He added: “For years, Burnley and Lancashire were punished by a rigged funding system that stripped money away from the communities that needed it most. I’ve been clear since day one that the broken formula had to change – and today’s settlement shows that it is changing.
“This funding won’t fix everything overnight, but it is a vital step in rebuilding local services after years of neglect. I will keep pushing to make sure Burnley gets its fair share and that this investment delivers real improvements people can see.”
The settlement forms part of Labour’s Fair Funding Review, which rebalances local government finance towards areas with higher deprivation, weaker tax bases and rising demand for services - issues that affect Burnley acutely.