Blackpool Receives £17.7M Funding Increase

Blackpool is set to receive a £17.7m increase in funding from the government for the next financial year, a 9.1% rise, amidst warnings of a £7m overspend in the current budget. This funding boost, part of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement, will raise the council's core spending power to £213.7m and increase social care funding by 19% to £26m. Additionally, Blackpool has been awarded £1.8m from United Utilities for a tree-planting initiative aimed at enhancing the town's green spaces, which currently has a low tree canopy cover. The council is also receiving nearly £3m to combat rising homelessness, with the funding aimed at preventing homelessness and supporting those affected. Local leaders, including MP Chris Webb, have welcomed these developments as essential steps towards improving living conditions and local services in Blackpool. However, the council leader, Lynn Williams, emphasized that while the funding increase is positive, it cannot reverse the funding cuts faced over the past 14 years.