RECENT claims of a “23% funding increase” for Devon are highly misleading.

It is this kind of misinformation, some might say lying, that the public are so fed up with. To claim government has boosted local councils to any great extent is just not true.

For Devon, the actual year-on-year increase is around 5%, driven largely by council tax increases —not by any significant uplift in government grant.

This approach shifts the burden of funding essential services from central government onto local residents.

Presenting assumed council tax rises as if they were government funding is not transparent.

Councils are effectively forced to increase council tax just to stand still, while ministers claim headline increases that do not reflect reality.

Residents deserve honesty about how local government is funded.

Political spin does nothing to address the real pressures councils face: inflation, rising demand, and statutory responsibilities.

Headline claims may sound convenient, but they mask a growing reliance on council tax to keep vital services running.

Councillor James Buczkowski

Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Finance