District Councils Network responds to Comprehensive Spending Review
Responding to the Chancellor’s Comprehensive Spending Review, Cllr John Fuller OBE, Chairman of the District Councils’ Network, said:
“This is a review that recognises that local people and places can be helped to recover from the pandemic by their local district councils empowered by powerful incentives to rebuild the national economy, building the homes we need and to encourage business to pivot to the future.
“District councils have led the humanitarian effort across the pandemic so we are pleased the Government is backing what has worked well at street level with additional finance for hardship payments, the homeless and for troubled families to help us solve social problems and save money for the long term.
“What is especially welcome is the recognition that districts have been worst hit by dramatic losses of income with an extension of compensation for loss of fees and charges, and measures to compensate for some losses of business rates and council tax.
“District councils are at the heart of the economic recovery leading the transformation of our cathedral cities, new towns and coastal communities. Through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Levelling Up Fund districts can now lead the delivery of better high streets, bypasses and other local infrastructure projects.
“Looking ahead councils will continue to need funding certainty, to lead the recovery, to deliver vital local services, and to fairly reward our local heroes in local government that have delivered this effort on streets up and down the country.
“Today’s Spending Review shows the Government has trust in district councils to help build the homes and grow the national economy one local economy at a time with a settlement that allows us to maintain our services while looking after those most in need.”
Date: October 2020
