LOCAL Government Minister Brandon Lewis told the Lancashire Telegraph: “The coalition government has delivered a fair settlement to every part of the country – north and south, rural and urban, metropolitan and shire.

“Councils facing the highest demand for services continue to receive substantially more funding.

“The average area spending power per household for the top 10 per cent most deprived authorities (as measured by the indicator for multiple deprivation) will be £3,026, which is over £1,000 per household (£1,952) more than the least deprived 10 per cent of councils have to spend.

“This shows that the government understands the pressures faced by deprived authorities.

“In addition, unlike the old system which encouraged councils to talk down their local areas to win more funding this Government has puts councils in the driving seat, rewarding them with more income for supporting local enterprise, building more homes and backing local jobs.

“Councils now generate more than 70per cent of their income locally compared to just 56per cent under the old ‘begging bowl’ system.

“In the coming year councils should stay focused on cutting waste, making sensible savings, modernising frontline services and keeping council tax down.”