A Labour MP said Salford has been “left behind for too long” as she welcomed major government reforms designed to steer more funding towards deprived communities.
Bolton MP Yasmin Qureshi, whose seat includes Walkden and Little Hulton, said the new system marks a crucial step toward reversing years of inequality created under the Conservatives’ approach to council finance.
The Labour Government this week confirmed it will overhaul the current funding formula so that councils receive support based on up-to-date deprivation data and real-time local need; a shift Qureshi argues is urgently needed for cities like Salford.
For Salford, the updated formula could mean more money for social care, housing support, neighbourhood investment and community programmes.
“For too long under the Tories, areas like Bolton and Salford were left behind and less likely to get essential funding for our local services,” she said.
“By putting local need at the heart of new council funding, the Labour Government is righting that wrong. I’ve already been speaking to Ministers, ensuring Bolton and Salford’s voices are heard and gets the funding we deserve – so we can deliver real-life improvements across our areas.”
Qureshi’s intervention comes after years of criticism that the previous funding system—based on decades-old data—favoured wealthier areas while councils in more deprived communities struggled to maintain services. Many local authorities faced rising costs, shrinking budgets and growing demand, leaving some on the brink of collapse.
The Government said the new model will correct that imbalance.
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed said the reforms were essential to stop “postcode lotteries” in public services.
“Our changes will make sure cash going to councils is shared out in a fairer way that follows needs,” he said.
Local councils are expected to receive more detailed funding projections in the coming weeks.
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