A GOVERNMENT minister has flatly refused to meet with Worcester city councillors to discuss their concerns about the lack of Government money being given to the city.

City council leader Simon Geraghty branded it an insult that MP John Healey had cited "diary pressures" as a reason why he could not meet with them.

Local Government minister Mr Healey was responding to a letter, from cross-party political leaders and the city council's chief executive and head of financial services, requesting a meeting.

The group wrote to the Government after discovering Worcester will receive a below-inflation funding increase over the next three years.

They believe it is unfair Worcester's allocation, called the formula grant, will rise by the minimum amount of one per cent next year and just 0.5 per cent for each of the following two years, because of the pressures on the city as a "county town."

Councillor Geraghty said the poor settlement was because the Government wrongly viewed the city council as any other district council.

He said: "He (John Healey) doesn't believe that he has time to meet us to discuss our letter. We have got a below-inflation increase for three consecutive years when we are facing severe pressures.

"I think it's a real disappointment that the government are indicating they aren't even willing to discuss our plight and meet with us."

He added: "We are a sub regional centre.

"People come into Worcester for night time entertainment, theatres, for shopping and all of this puts pressure on us day-to-day.

"We are having to pick up the bill to provide the whole range of services that a lot of other districts don't have to but we are not provided with any extra money to do that."

The leader of the city's Labour party, Adrian Gregson, said he was disappointed but not surprised.

He said: "I agree there is an argument that says we should have more and that's why I put my name to the letter and I agree an opportunity to discuss that would have been useful but equally I'm not surprised at the result."

Coun Gregson said the financial pressures on the city council were due to the council's own lack of long-term planning.