COUNCILLOR Desmond Moffatt is throwing his weight behind a proposed council tax increase of 1.9 per cent and claims a tragedy could be in store for the community if action is not taken soon.

Coun Moffatt, who is Swindon’s Labour group lead for finance, also called on Swindon’s two MPs to lobby for more funding from central Government.

He said Swindon is one of the lowest paid local authorities in the country, having started off as a unitary council on the back foot as it was allocated less money due to supposed assets it never gained.

He said political parties of both colours were to blame for Swindon’s shortage in funding but the time had come when there is nothing left to cut without serious consequences.

“Unless something is done to stop cuts to Local Government funding there will be dire consequences,” said Coun Moffatt, who represents the Rodbourne Cheney ward.

“Vulnerable children at risk, older people abandoned to their own resources and avoidable fatalities in consequence, physically and mentally impaired people’s safety not secured and civilised norms of behaviour in business not enforced. Government has told us to raise Council Tax by two per cent and to do other than that fails our community and panders to the culture of selfishness that is anti taxation.”

He said Swindon has a reputation of being a rich area but there are places of huge social deprivation missing out because of this facade.

The MP for North Swindon Justin Tomlinson said he was already doing a lot to channel more cash from Government towards the town.

“Robert Buckland and myself have been working tirelessly to secure additional funding for Swindon,” said Mr Tomlinson.

“We are confident that when the local Government finance formula review is announced that Swindon will rightly be given a larger share. “