WIRRAL'S MPs have urged the government to ensure Wirral Council has the level of emergency funding needed to tackle 'unprecedented' challenges caused by the pandemic.

Margaret Greenwood, Alison McGovern, Angela Eagle and Mick Whitley made their plea in a letter to Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

It follows concerns about the level of emergency funding that has been provided to the Council so far during the coronavirus crisis.

In April, Mr Jenrick said local authorities would have resources needed to meet the challenge, adding that his priority was to make sure local councils are supported so that they can continue to support their communities through this challenging time.

Wirral's MPs are concerned that three tranches of emergency funding Wirral Council has received since March do not cover the significant costs it has incurred during this period.

In their letter, they add that the council forecasts an additional £3million spend from its own funding on the coronavirus response, which will put further pressure on already stretched services.

A recent report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies highlighted the pressure on local authorities that are facing a 'financial double whammy' of increasing costs and loss of income as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.

The MPs are now urging the Secretary of State to fulfil his promise and provide the council with the resources needed to help tackle the unprecedented challenges it faces at this time.

Their letter to Mr Jenrick reads: "Wirral Council has done a remarkable job in response to this crisis, providing support to residents and businesses impacted by Covid-19, as well as maintaining the essential council services that keep the borough functioning effectively.

"However, we remain deeply concerned about the impact that Covid-19 is having and will continue to have on the authority's finances.

"The Local Government Association estimates that the financial pressure on local authorities of meeting the costs of tackling Covid-19 totals between £10 billion and £13 billion.

"These figures are considerably more than the £4.3billion of emergency funding the government has committed to councils during the crisis.

"The three tranches of emergency funding Wirral Council has received since March simply do not cover the significant costs it has incurred during this period.

"The council forecasts it will have to spend an additional £3 million from its own funding on the coronavirus response, putting further pressure on already stretched services.

"Escalating costs associated with the pandemic, combined with a significant drop in council tax and business rates revenue, pose a serious risk to the authority's financial viability in the long term.

"Wirral Council officers have raised their concerns with us that this year's council tax and business rates losses will be spread out over next the three years, impacting council budgets through to 2023-24.

"Officers at Wirral Council have told us that the local government compensation scheme does not go far enough to make up for losses incurred by councils during the crisis; as you know, the scheme compensates only 75% of a local authority’s eligible lost income after a 5% reduction.

"The IFS estimates that councils will end up claiming back only around half of lost sales, fees and charges income through the scheme, leaving a substantial gap in finances that authorities will need to fill.

"The pressures from lost income are likely to continue well into next year and possibly beyond, having a serious impact on council services.

"We call on you to set out the action that you are taking to ensure that Wirral Council has the funds it needs to respond to the coronavirus crisis.

"We also call on you to set out a long-term funding solution for local authorities so that they can continue to deliver the public services that local people rely on.

"We feel it is important too that the government addresses the issue of the timing of its funding announcements.

"Announcements made in late December about the following year’s funding do not give local authorities enough time to plan for the year ahead; as a result officers are put in the position where they have to assume the worst case scenario, resulting in unnecessary work and stress for staff.

"To conclude, the Government urgently needs to ensure that Wirral Council and other local authorities are able to meet the challenges resulting from coronavirus and ensure that the essential services on which local people rely are not put at risk.

"You said in April that local authorities would have the resources that they need to meet this challenge and that your priority is to make sure local councils are supported so that they can continue to support their communities through this challenging time.

"We would urge you to fulfil this promise and provide councils like Wirral with the resources that they need in their efforts to tackle the unprecedented challenges that they face.

"On behalf of all Wirral residents, we ask you to respond to these issues as a matter of urgency."