WYCHAVON District Council will continue to receive less money than its urban near neighbours like Birmingham unless Government plans are changed, says Hartlebury’s MP.

Conservative Peter Luff added: “And that will mean council taxes that are too high or poorer services than we deserve.”

The Mid Worcestershire MP is urging local people to respond to a consultation on the future of local authority funding arrangements, to put pressure on the Government to reduce the gap.

He explained: “Rural areas suffer underfunding for basic services. There is an ongoing fight to close the gap between the funding given to rural and urban communities.

“At the moment councils in rural areas are allocated less money to pay for the costs of services, although, often, they are more expensive.

“It is not right that rural populations should receive less than their counterparts in urban areas, just because they live in Wychavon. It is important that we keep up the pressure on the Government to make sure the voices of rural communities are heard, so I urge you all, and especially parish councils, to contribute to the consultation.

“As well as this, the Rural Fair Share campaign group has started a petition for people to sign to highlight this issue in Parliament. We need as many signatures as possible and I know that your district councillors, who all have copies of the petition, would be delighted to hear from you if you want to sign it.”

The Government consultation on Local Government Finance Settlement 2014-15 and 2015-16 closes on Wednesday, October 2.