![Bolton Town Hall, Alex Liivet from Chester, United Kingdom [CC0], <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bolton_Town_Hall_(21928117529).jpg">via Wikimedia Commons</a>](https://www.yasminqureshi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/95/2019/03/450px-Bolton_Town_Hall_21928117529-800x0-c-default.jpg)
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For years, I have seen the impact of austerity on our communites. Local authorities were forced to make impossible choices, cutting back on services that people depend on every day. Libraries closed, youth services disappeared, and the pressure on councils grew year after year.
That is why today’s announcement matters so much. The Labour Government has confirmed a major funding boost for our area: Salford will receive £102.3 million, and Bolton will receive £92.5 million. This is not just a number on a page. It represents a 28% increase for Salford and a 27% increase for Bolton in their spending power.
What does that mean in real terms? It means councils can plan ahead with confidence for the first time in over a decade. It means cleaner streets, better roads, thriving high streets, and the return of community hubs and libraries that were lost. It means giving our towns and cities the resources they need to restore pride and opportunity.
I fought hard for fair funding because I know what it means for people here. Working with local leaders, I made the case to Government that Salford and Bolton deserve their fair share. Today, that work has paid off. I will be working with both the leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Nick Peel, and the Mayor of Salford, Paul Dennett, to ensure that residents in my constituency can feel the difference that this funding increase will make to our area.
This is a turning point. After 14 years of decline under the Conservatives, Labour is reversing the damage and investing in Britain’s renewal. For Salford and Bolton, this is the start of a new chapter.