THE leader of St Helens Council has urged the government to do “whatever it takes” as local authorities in the city region stare at a £241 million funding black hole from the coronavirus crisis.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, local leaders have warned the recovery phase represents the greatest challenge the area has faced since 1945.

In St Helens, the council estimates that it will face a £25 million funding gap without further help from government.

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St Helens Council leader David Baines has previously said this would be “potentially catastrophic”.

Speaking today, Cllr Baines, said: “The fight against COVID-19 is the biggest challenge St Helens and Liverpool City Region have faced since 1945.

“Our council staff, all of them heroes, all of them key workers, have been working tirelessly to support residents, businesses and charities through this crisis.

“At the beginning of the crisis government promised to do ‘whatever it takes’ to support them. We need them to follow through on that promise.

“That’s why I’ve joined leaders from across the city region in writing to government today, making the case for fair funding, St Helens faces a funding gap of about £25 million at the end of this due to the fight against COVID-19.

“We can’t clap key workers on a Thursday night then turn our backs on them, we have to give them the support they’ve given us.

“If you agree post your support online with the hashtag #LCRfightsback.”

St Helens Star: St Helens Council leader David BainesSt Helens Council leader David Baines

So far central government has provided £100 million in emergency funding to help local authorities respond to the coronavirus crisis.

But city region leaders have warned the fight is far from over, with the area still experiencing higher than average infection and mortality rates.

Councils across the city region are spending an extra £10 million a week to protect residents, while the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is losing more than £5 million a week.

And over the next six months, councils estimate the bill is likely to be around £341 million – leaving a £241 million funding gap.

“At the beginning of this crisis, local authorities were told by government to do “whatever it takes” to support communities,” said Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region.

“That’s what we have done – and the response from our local councils has been nothing short of incredible,”

“But this response comes at a cost – and the figures involved are just startling.

“This is expenditure that we haven’t made by choice, but by necessity.

“We are putting food on the table for families who would otherwise go hungry, housing the homeless, co-ordinating a massive volunteer response, supporting those who are out of work due to the crisis, supplying PPE to our frontline workers and care homes, keeping transport running for essential journeys and doing everything we can to help local businesses stay afloat.

“For an area still fighting its way through funding cuts, whilst managing higher levels of deprivation and illness than other areas in the UK, it is a monumental task.

“Our bill to deliver all this is £341 million for six months – and that’s before you even consider the prospect of a prolonged period of lockdown or worse still, a second peak of infection.

“The sums of money involved are a stark indication of the devastating impact of COVID-19 on our communities.

“With a higher percentage of our population falling into the ‘at risk’ categories than in many other areas in the UK, the levels of support we’ve needed to provide have also been disproportionately higher.”

A report entitled ‘The Case for the Liverpool City Region’ accompanied the letter to the Prime Minister.

According to the report, COVID-19 presents an even greater risk to the Liverpool City Region than it does to the rest of the country.

It says the infection and mortality rates, which are both substantially higher in the city region than they are elsewhere, are likely a consequence of the higher incidence of COPD and higher levels of deprivation.

These significant risk factors, it says, mean the economic, health and social impacts of COVID-19 are being felt more “desperately and acutely” in the city region.

St Helens Star: Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City RegionSteve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region

As the nation looks towards the recovery phase of the crisis, local leaders are warning that the city region will find it almost impossible to bounce back if central government does not help local authorities claw back funding deficits running into hundreds of millions of pounds.

“The people of the Liverpool City Region are resourceful, proud and passionate,” Mr Rotheram said.

“They have shown great resolve in fighting this virus and supporting each other.

“With their help and with the support of local services we have the foundations to build a positive future after this crisis, but we need help to make that happen.

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“Throughout this pandemic, government has turned to local authorities and mayoral combined authorities like ours to deliver on the promises it makes from Whitehall on a daily basis.

“We have done that, consistently.

“Now we need them to keep their promise to do “whatever it takes” by giving us the funding that we need to see our people and our communities through this major global crisis.”