Conservatives in Salford have backed Labour's calls for more council funding.
Local Tory leader Les Turner has agreed to sign a letter from the ruling Labour group calling for the local government finance settlement to be reassessed.
Three Conservative councillors also supported a motion today (January 19) which urges the government to 'urgently increase' funding for all councils.
The Labour motion, which was approved at a full council meeting, also calls on the government to fix the adult social care funding crisis, make progress with the fair funding review and give councils more certainty on future funding.
But speaking at the meeting, Conservative councillor Robin Garrido said he accepts the government is in a 'difficult situation' financially due to Covid.
He said: "Obviously, we always want more. We always want to be able to do more. We always want to solve the problems we have – particularly in Salford.
"But we do have to accept that there's only one pot of money and that pot of money is the taxpayer's. And whether it comes from council tax, or whether it comes from government, they have to raise that in the same way that we have to raise money. There's no magic pot that we can go to."
In December, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities published the provisional local government finance settlement for 2022/23, with a headline increase in core spending power of £3.5bn – a 6.9 pc rise.
But this total increase assumes that council tax will rise by 3 pc in England.
Labour councillors also raised concerns about the rising cost of living with inflation estimated to cost Salford council £4.7m in the next financial year while increases in national insurance are estimated to cost an extra £1.1m.
Salford mayor Paul Dennett said Labour and the Conservatives have approved a joint response to the consultation on the provisional local government finance settlement 'in the spirit of civic responsibility and collaboration'.
He said: "Our response sends a clear message to government that its approach to Local Government financing must change.
"This year, both our local groups stand in agreement that the trend towards the Treasury’s use of local taxation to realise spending commitments in Local Government must end.
"Both our groups are agreed that the overall funding package for Local Government is insufficient to address the needs of our communities and the hardship faced by vulnerable people."
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