Nottinghamshire residents have just a couple of weeks left to join the county council in sending a message to Prime Minister David Cameron that cuts to services in the county are unfair and disproportionate, according to leader Coun Alan Rhodes (pictured).

The Fair Deal for Nottinghamshire campaign petition closes on 31 March. It can be signed at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/fairdeal

The petition is calling on the Prime Minister to rethink the huge cuts in funding for local council services and review the policy of making the largest cuts in areas where deprivation is highest.

Only five county councils in the country will see a bigger reduction in ‘spending power’ than Nottinghamshire County Council in the latest round of cuts to council funding, despite Nottinghamshire having some of the areas of highest deprivation in the country.

Despite already cutting more than £100m from its budgets and shedding 3,000 jobs since 2010, the council’s main source of Government funding, the Revenue Support Grant, is being cut by a further 21% over the next two years.

This is equivalent to a £63 cut per resident in Nottinghamshire, double that of more affluent areas in the south of England such as Buckinghamshire (£29.84 cut per person) and Surrey (£32.74 cut per person).

And the situation is likely to get even worse. Speaking in Nottingham last week, Communities Secretary Mr Eric Pickles said: “There’s only one way that central government support for local government is going – and that’s down.”

The Fair Deal for Nottinghamshire petition will be handed in at 10 Downing Street by Coun Rhodes.

Coun Rhodes said: “The funding position for local services is absolutely appalling – and yet the Government tells us they’re going to make it even worse. Every service has been cut back, we’ve already lost more than 3,000 jobs and yet we are still being forced to take a further £154m out of what is left.

“If the cuts weren’t bad enough, what’s completely unacceptable is that areas with the worst deprivation, mainly in the north and midlands, are the areas where people are being hit with the biggest cuts. It’s absurd that those most in need are the ones being hit the hardest while the south-east flourishes.

“It’s vital that the people of Nottinghamshire speak with a united voice and tell the Government that enough is enough. This campaign is not about politics. I appeal to everyone to join us in telling the Government that what they are doing is wrong. We want a fair deal for Nottinghamshire services and a fair deal for Nottinghamshire people.”

More than 3,000 people have signed the position – either online or paper petitions.

Nottinghamshire County Council approved more than £80m in cuts and 750 job losses at its budget meeting on 27th February. In total, the council must save £154m from its budget by 2017.