WEAVER Vale MP Mike Amesbury has said the lack of funding for vital community services has left councils 'on their knees'.

Mike, who is also a vice president of the cross party Local Government Association (LGA), was speaking during a Westminster Hall debate on local government funding.

According to the Conservative-led LGA, funding for will be cut by a further £1.3 billion in 2019/20 despite many councils already struggling to balance their books, facing overspends and having to make budget cuts.

Between 2010 and 2020, councils will have lost 60p out of every £1 the government had provided.

Mike told the debate: "On Saturday I was with a number of Unison members and frontline workers who work in local government.

"Despite the horrendous cuts of £330 million to my council, they are doing a brilliant job, but they are now telling me that local government is on its knees.

"Does my honourable friend agree?"

Thelma Walker, Labour MP for Colne Valley, who called the debate, replied: "I do agree. Nine of the 10 most deprived councils in the country have seen cuts of almost three times the national average of £255 per household."

Speaking outside the chamber, Mike said: "Council services permeate most aspects of our everyday lives, from looking after our elderly and vulnerable relatives to ensuring our environment is clean and our buildings are safe.

"These are not luxuries, these are vital services which are in many cases now barely functional."