Labour’s Terry Fox has written to the Chancellor to defend Sheffield ahead of the Autumn Statement Today.

The letter – co-signed by more than 70 council leaders and Mayors – follows complaints from Conservative leaders earlier in the week that local authorities face bankruptcy without additional support.

Thursday’s Autumn Statement is widely expected to include swingeing cuts and tax hikes for working people after the Conservatives crashed the economy with their reckless gamble with the nation’s finances – which itself follows 12 years of low growth and falling living standards.

Publishing the letter, Labour’s Terry Fox, Leader of Sheffield City Council said,

“Don’t Take It Out On Us – Sheffield shouldn’t pay for Conservative mistakes. After 12 years of low growth and falling living standards our community has had enough of covering the cost of Tory failure. So my message to the Chancellor is clear – your party crashed the economy, not people in Sheffield. So it’s up to you: Clear up your own mess.”

In the letter 70 leaders write,

“The critical services that councils run are in dire need of investment and without further financial support lives will be at risk. People who were donating to foodbanks are now using them, children are going to school without a proper meal and families are facing increasing financial pressures. Without immediate action councils will need to make increasingly difficult decisions about the services we will have to reduce or stop all together”

“Our communities shouldn’t have to pay the price for the government’s mismanagement of the economy and raising council tax is not the solution. Increasing the burden on households which are already struggling is not only unfair but will also provide nowhere near the amount on funding councils need to keep basic services running.”