Greater Manchester’s MP’s have been asking the question after yesterday’s revelations in the House of Commons that

During Prime Ministers Question Time, Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn brandished text messages that claimed to show that the government was prepared to offer a deal to Conservative-led Surrey council to avoid a local referendum on raising taxes to fund social care.

The council called off plans to hold a referendum asking the public whether council tax should be raised by 15 per cent in order to fund social care earlier in the week.

Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon has led the calls for a rethink, saying on Twitter that;

“There is real anger on the #sweetheart deal for #Surreycouncil #surreygate from councils up and down the land. Social care crisis is real.”

and has warned that the public will face a “council-tax bombshell” by 2020 as local authorities struggle to pay for social-care services.

Tameside MP Angela Raynor said: “Answers needed to sweetheart deal that appears to have been given to Surrey council. An exclusive deal or can other councils apply?”

Worsley and Eccles MP Barbara Kelley also added on Twitter

“Salford Council has had budget cuts of 40% since 2010 & loses an extra £2.3million for social care this year. We need a better deal too, PM”

We reported back in December that Salford will be £2.3m worse off second only to London’s Tower Hamlets for cuts to social care while Manchester faces losing £0.9m.

Many Greater Manchester Councils are planning to raise council tax by 4.99 per cent, the maximum they are allowed without putting the increase to a public referendum,

 

 

 

 

 

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