HERTFORDSHIRE is getting a consistently poor deal , when it comes to government funding. That was the opinion of county council leader Robert Gordon in reaction to the Chancellor s Budget statement.

HERTFORDSHIRE is getting "a consistently poor deal", when it comes to government funding.

That was the opinion of county council leader Robert Gordon in reaction to the Chancellor's Budget statement.

He said: "Hertfordshire expects nothing more than its fair share when resources, however limited, are allocated.

"However, new research has shown that in common with the rest of the East of England region, Hertfordshire has had a consistently poor deal over a number of years.

"The Government has pointed to efficiency savings as a way to reduce costs. Hertfordshire has a proven track record of seeking out more efficient and effective ways of delivering public services, and has indeed made considerable savings over recent years.

"In this financial year, we plan to save a further �17.4m in this way. Although we will continue to apply the same rigorous approach to all of our services, there comes a point when there are no more efficiencies to be made.

"Caring for vulnerable children and adults and for our growing elderly population cannot be compromised and we will continue to prioritise spending to keep our roads and vital infrastructure in good order."

MP Grant Shapps said: "The Government seems to have given up on Welwyn Hatfield a long time ago with the cancelling of the super-hospital, the axing of the QE2 and the building of more and more homes.

"Now they seem to have given up on Hertfordshire too and our people.

"They don't frankly know about it (the situation) or care about it.

"And what they don't realise is that if you come to parts of Welwyn Hatfield we have some parts in serious deprivation and it's not fair to withhold money from us."

The shadow housing minister, who said he has the most council tenants in his constituency across the UK - over 9,500 - added in Hatfield 47 per cent of council tenants' weekly tax goes outside of the borough.