David Rutley
Main Page: David Rutley (Conservative - Macclesfield)
Mr Pickles
Of course, that is because Bolton receives an enormous grant from the Government.
David Rutley (Macclesfield) (Con)
T9. In the week of the anniversary of the emergency Budget, what additional steps is my right hon. Friend’s Department taking to help the Government to achieve their fiscal mandate?
Mr Pickles
We have delivered a good settlement for local government; we are looking to reduce our own Department, including reducing at the top and reducing numbers; and we are looking to extend that by offering help on growth, on enterprise zones and on local partnerships for growth. This Department has changed enormously over the past year by becoming pro-growth and helpful to local communities, offering power to local government and ensuring that ordinary people do not face a big increase in council tax.