Teesside councils suffer worse than average spending cuts in latest government settlement

Teesside councils have again suffered worse than average cuts in the latest government funding announcement.

Figures released today show Middlesbrough Council 's 'spending power' - the total amount it has at its disposal through central grants and council tax - will fall by £8.9m from £158.4mm in 2014-15 to £149.5m in 2015-16.

That is a cut of 5.6% - compared to an average cut for all English councils of 1.8%.

Redcar and Cleveland will lose £5.2m, or 3.7%, while Stockton emerged relatively unscathed - down £3.6m, or 2.1%.

The list of worst-hit areas is dominated by Labour-dominated parts of the Midlands and North.

Tamworth in Staffordshire faces the biggest cut, of 6.4%, followed by Barrow in Furness and Chesterfield.

At the other end of the scale, a number of councils in the South of England will actually see their spending power go up.

Tewkesbury will see the biggest increase, of 3.2%, while Surrey will get an extra £27m, or 3.1%.

Other towns and counties getting an increase include East Devon (up 2.7%), Buckinghamshire (up 2.3%), Cambridge (up 2.3%), Dorset (up 1.9%) and Cheshire East (up 1.4%).