LOCAL government funding in Cornwall is under severe pressure. This predicament is particularly highlighted by the underfunding of Cornwall's fire service.

We are right to be proud of the dedication shown by firefighters, full-time and retained.

All firefighters deserve the increased salaries that the Fire Brigade's Union negotiated with the Labour government.

The difficulty is that no extra money was given in order to pay those salaries and the shortfall is being met by so-called "efficiency savings" in local councils. Gordon Brown has also forced councils to cut their budgets by 3.5 per cent. This means that Cornwall's chief fire officer has had to find £1 million of savings.

It is against this backdrop that the Newquay fire highlights the serious issues facing Cornwall's council tax payer. Cornwall is still the poorest county in the country. Earnings are on average a quarter less than the rest of the country.

Central government provide local government with what is known as the "formula grant." People in Cornwall consistently get less than the national average. Islington Council's residents, in London, for example, get nearly double the funding awarded to them for services than we get for Cornwall's residents.

An analysis of the taxes paid out and government money into Cornwall shows that one of the poorest counties is subsidising other richer areas.

Now is the time for Cornwall to demand not more but their fair share of the pie.

Terrye Teverson, parliamentary spokesperson, Truro-Falmouth Liberal Democrats