Local Authorities: Financial Difficulties

Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Excerpts

Wednesday 14th February 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

The Government do appreciate what local government can do, and it is not just Labour local government that is delivering this innovation and great services for local people. At this point, I should thank local government for everything it does. As I said earlier, we listen to local authorities all the time, which is why we put in £600 million more in January.

[The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich]

My Lords, may I return to the issue of reforming the model? I have recently been caught up in discussions with Suffolk County Council about funding cuts it was making to its arts programmes. That drew me into detailed discussions about what its priorities were and the challenges it was facing. It said that two things would make a huge difference. The first was knowing further in advance what it might receive; it was looking for a three-year projection. The second was for the groundwork for the reform to which the Minister has been referring to be done now, rather than in the future.

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

The right reverend Prelate is absolutely right: local government is asking for reform of the whole system, but it is also asking for certainty for future years. Recognising the importance of this, the Government intend to return to multi-year settlements in the next Parliament when circumstances allow.