Local Government Finance

Graham P Jones Excerpts

Wednesday 19th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

Yes. I can helpfully tell the hon. Gentleman that, per household, he will receive £3,015, which is well above the national average. I am delighted to say that spending power goes down by just 0.6%, which is significantly less than other reductions. He is therefore sitting pretty.

[Graham Jones (Hyndburn) (Lab)]

The Secretary of State has said that seven authorities will require larger savings to be made, but that no councils face a loss of more than 8.8% in their spending power, thanks to the new efficiency support grant, which replaces the transitional relief grant. Is that not a conditional, ring-fenced grant, and town hall to Whitehall, and therefore anything but localism? My local authority does joint services, and back-office and shared services, but how will it benefit from the Secretary of State’s statement?

[Mr Pickles]

The hon. Gentleman is a little confused. His authority is Hyndburn. I remind him that he would be receiving nothing additional had it been up to the Labour Government, who left no provision for the transitional grant. The transitional grant was wholly devised to help him, but his council must show some gumption. Who is paying for it? The rest of us are. He must ensure that Hyndburn starts to have joint services and better procurement—

[Graham Jones]

It is doing.