Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Local Authority Budgets

Monday 20 February 2023 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Local government finance settlement 2023-24 provides nearly 60 billion for local government in England.
  • Shropshire Council faces budget cuts of 10 million this quarter and 50 million in the coming years.
  • Government prioritizes stability in the local government finance settlement for 2023-24.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Local Government
Context

Local authorities are facing budgetary pressures and need additional resources to maintain services. The local government finance settlement for 2023-24 has provided nearly £60 billion of funding.

Question

What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of trends in the level of local authority budgets?

Answer from Lee Rowley

The local government finance settlement 2023-24 recently made available nearly £60 billion of funding for local government in England, responding to the requests of the sector for clarity, space and additional resources.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific policy implications or commitments were not provided.

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Q2 Helen Morgan Lib Dem North Shropshire
Social Care Local Government
Context

Shropshire Council needs to find £10 million in immediate cuts and £50 million over the next few years. The council is facing significant social care funding challenges due to 85% of its budget being allocated for social care services.

Question

Shropshire Council has recently reported that it needs to find £10 million of cuts this quarter and £50 million in the coming years. Some 85% of its budget is spent on social care, so 97% of residents are going to pay more for reduced services. Will the Government consider reviewing the fair funding formula, so that councils in rural areas can continue to provide proper services to their constituents?

Answer from Lee Rowley

The main message we heard from the local government sector in the past 12 months, after covid, inflation and all the pressures it had, was that it wanted stability. What we have tried to offer as part of the financial settlement for 2023-24 is a stable platform upon which colleagues in local government can plan, reform and work through where they are going in the future.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific review of funding formula was not addressed directly.

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Q3 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Social Care Local Government
Context

The social care grant excludes from its funding formula the needs of vulnerable children, leading to a significant loss for London councils. Richmond borough alone will miss out on £600 million by 2025.

Question

Both adult and children's social care are in crisis, but the social care grant, which can be used for both, excludes from its flawed funding formula the needs of tens of thousands of vulnerable children across this country. That means that in London alone councils will miss out on some £600 million by 2025, leaving boroughs such as mine in Richmond struggling to provide high-quality care for those children in need. Will the Minister look at fixing this faulty formula so that the most vulnerable children in our society can get the care they desperately need?

Answer from Lee Rowley

As I said to the hon. Member for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan), we are prioritising stability this year. Of course we always look at elements of the settlement and what we can or cannot do, and how we can make them better for the long term. However, substantial additional funding, support and resources are going into the local government finance settlement, which we hope will make a difference on the frontline.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific review of the flawed formula was not directly addressed.

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Q4 Sarah Owen Lab Luton North
Crime & Law Enforcement Local Government Environment
Context

Fly-tipping is a growing problem, costing nearly £400 million annually. There has been a 16% increase in fly-tipping under the current government.

Question

Over a decade of Tory cuts are not the only thing damaging council budgets; fly-tipping is a stain on our communities and costs nearly £400 million a year. Taxpayers are left footing the bill for the 16% increase in this crime under a Tory Government. Councils should not pay the price for Conservatives being soft on crime, so does the Minister agree that it is time to get tough on people who do not respect our neighbourhoods? Will he back Labour's plan for stronger punishment for fly-tippers and the introduction of clear-up squads?

Answer from Lee Rowley

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her comments. I absolutely agree that fly-tipping is a scourge and a crime, and that local authorities have the resources and the ability to try to do this and to crack down on it. I encourage them to do so.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific proposal for stronger punishment or clear-up squads was not addressed directly.

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