£1,100 to spend for each resident

Rochdale Council has over £1,100 to spend on each resident — more than most councils.

New figures released by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles shows the amount spent per resident in each area averages just over £1,000.

In Rochdale the council has £1,134.96 per head for each of its 204, 711 residents, compared with £1,217.48 in Manchester, £1,110.98 in Oldham and £1,177.42 in Salford.

Mr Pickles is encouraging residents to compare their area with other areas and ask the council how the money is being spent.

Mr Pickles said: “The public knows that councils — and indeed central government — can deliver far better value for money. It’s not how much you spend, but how you spend it.

“This is not to say that making the savings to council budgets won’t be challenging for councillors and council officers. It’s very easy to salami-slice budgets or cut the frontline first. But that’s the easy option.

“It’s harder — but better — to deliver transformational change, finding new ways of working. Transparency is at that heart of that process.”

Almost a quarter of councils covering 37 per cent of the population have over £1,000 to spend for every resident. Windsor and Maidenhead have the lowest spend at just £715.06.

Mr Pickles added: “Despite the need to pay off the budget deficit, councils are spending £53 billion this year, equivalent to an average of £1,000 for every man, woman and child. Local taxpayers should now go compare and check they are receiving value for money for the spend they get.

“The poorest areas receive the most money. But some of the councils with the best services receive the least. Whether you live in the north or south, rural or urban, metropolitan or shire, what people want to see is value for money.”

The Government has already published maps showing the council tax per head contribution and how much councils receive in government grant per head.