SOMERSET is losing the postcode lottery for funding of local services, new figures reveal. 

Out of 37 county areas across England, Somerset ranked in fifth from the bottom with £540 spent per head - more than £100 less than the £650 average for the country. 

Somerset receives the least out of all other counties in the South West. 

Neighbouring Devon receives £609 per head and Dorset £742. Cornwall gets £591 per head, Gloucestershire £640 and Wiltshire £555. 

The figures were obtained by the County Councils Network who found that on average, county councils received £650 per person in 2017/18 for public services such as adult social care, buses, libraries, bin collections, pothole repairs, and children’s social services.

In contrast, a city or metropolitan borough resident receives £825 for their services, while those in inner London enjoy £1,190 per person.

It says that millions of rural residents receive almost 50 per cent less funding for their services than those living in large cities. 

Cllr Paul Carter, chairman of the County Councils Network and leader of Kent County Council, said: "Our services are threatened and under pressure like never before. Unless these inequalities are addressed, many of the highly valued services to our public will diminish or disappear.

“For too long now, the 26 million people in England’s shire counties have not received a fair share of national resources.

“This means our shire heartlands are receiving an eye-watering £3.2bn less than other parts of the country for services.

“This impacts on the daily lives on our residents, all whilst they unfairly subsidise services enjoyed in other parts of the country through higher council tax bills. This is outdated and chronically unfair.”

With county leaders having little choice but to raise council tax to make up the shortfall, they warn that their residents are unfairly subsidising the services enjoyed in other parts of the country.

The average county council tax bills is now £1,661; while councils such as Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea have been in a position to freeze their bills, last year offering residents in multi-million pound homes rates as low as £669 and £1,059 for average Band D properties.