Responding to the final Local Government Finance Settlement published today, Lord Porter, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said:
“The Autumn Budget saw the Government act on our calls to provide councils with extra one-off funding in 2019/20, including for social care, potholes and high streets. However, councils still face a funding gap of more than £3 billion this year.
“The money councils have to provide local services is running out fast and there is huge uncertainty about how they will pay for them into the next decade and beyond.
“The upcoming Spending Review is absolutely crucial for councils.
“If we truly value our local services then we have to be prepared to pay for them. Fully funding councils is the only way they will be able to keep providing the services which make a difference to people’s lives, such as caring for older and disabled people, protecting children, building homes, fixing roads and collecting bins.
“Investing in local government services will also help reduce pressure on other parts of the public sector, such as the NHS, and save money for the public purse.”
Annual local government finance settlements
Each year local authorities’ core funding allocations for the forthcoming financial year are announced by Government in the provisional local government finance settlement, usually in December. Following consultation, allocations are confirmed in the final settlement, usually in February.