Local Government Finance

Debate between Grant Shapps and Angela Smith

Wednesday 8th February 2012 Commons Chamber

[Grant Shapps]

I shall take interventions from those who have not yet had a chance to intervene. I give way to the hon. Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge (Angela Smith).

[Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab)]

On the basis of what the Minister has said, how is it that the 30th most deprived borough in the country gets an above-average reduction in spending?

[Grant Shapps]

I explained that at some length about five minutes ago, but I shall cover it again. If an area is more dependent on money coming from a particular source, and that source is the national Government, even when we make incredible efforts to keep down the reductions it is always possible for people from that area to stand up and say, “Ah, we have a bigger reduction in spending power.” That is because more of the area’s money comes from the public purse rather than being raised locally from local taxpayers.

I would have thought that Opposition Members would understand that fairly straightforward calculation. They have never told us whether they agree that we should have increased the needs index from 73% to 83% and whether they would have put in transition funding of £96 million, I think, last year, and a further £20 million this year, to make sure that not a single area has had to have a reduction of more than 8.8% this or last year.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Grant Shapps and Angela Smith

Monday 30th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Grant Shapps]

My hon. Friend is right. Key is ensuring that local and sensible plans are in place to ensure that people can arrive at a town centre, shop and not be exposed to unreasonable charges. I encourage all local authorities to think about their local economy—something that should be much easier to do when they know that they are going to be keeping the business rates in future.

[Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab)]

13. When he plans to publish information on transitional arrangements in respect of his national planning policy framework.

Local Government Financing

Debate between Grant Shapps and Angela Smith

Tuesday 29th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Grant Shapps]

We certainly will have inspections and a basic template. The question is: how much inspection do we need? I invite any Opposition Member to explain how spending 151,000 days of officer time answering a comprehensive area assessment was of any use to local residents. Opposition Members talk about localism, but they do not get it. They talk about the principles of handing over power, but they do not understand that when—according to 2006 research—officers in town halls spend 80% of their time servicing the needs of Ministers and Whitehall and only 20% of their time looking after local residents, they no longer serve the democratic values of local people. That is not localism; what we are describing today is localism.

In these tough times it will be our goal to protect those in the greatest need—local residents and, especially, struggling families and pensioners. Under Labour, council tax more than doubled. We will work with local councils to freeze council tax for a year and, if we can afford it, for another one. Scotland has done it, with band D council tax now £290 a year less than the comparative figure south of the border. We want that to happen in England, too.

[Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab)]

The right hon. Gentleman just mentioned the need to protect those most in need. Will he comment on the remarks by Blackpool’s Tory council leader, Peter Callow, who said:

“We are one of the most deprived areas in the land and we shouldn’t be singled out like this. I understand that some of the leafy lanes of Surrey and places have got away with it; well that can’t be right”?

[Grant Shapps]

The hon. Lady will no doubt welcome the £1 billion fund for regional assistance.