It was a privilege to be invited to speak at the Unison Neath Port Talbot Question Time event on fair funding for local services. Again the council chamber was packed with Councillors and staff, who are all concerned over the levels of funding for local government and what that means for the future of our valued and vital services.

Nine years of punishing cuts in the name of austerity has seen Councils carry the heaviest burden of public sector austerity. Despite this Councils and their workforce have continued to deliver vital services for our communities.

It’s clear that services cannot continue to be delivered with such ongoing drastic funding reductions. It’s time for a Labour government in Westminster, and its time for a fair funding deal for Wales.

I’ve written to the Chancellor calling on the Government to help local government by improving Wales’ settlement that was announced in the Spending Review. You can read my letter here.