Local Councils: 2023-24 Budgets Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Lord Sahota
Main Page: Lord Sahota (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Sahota's debates with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Local Councils: 2023-24 Budgets
Lord Sahota Excerpts(1 year, 10 months ago)
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Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)
I am very sorry that I cannot give my noble friend that answer from the Dispatch Box. I will look into it and come back to her.
Lord Sahota (Lab)
My Lords, councils up and down the country had to reduce just about every service to make ends meet. Because of the Government’s cuts for the last 13 years, many councils are on the edge of a financial cliff and have even considered a Section 114 notice. Can the Minister tell me when this nightmare will end for our local communities?
Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)
My Lords, there are also some councils doing extremely well in keeping services running. We continue to monitor the sector’s finances and stand ready to speak to any council and support it if it has concerns about its ability to manage its finances or faces pressures that it has not planned for. We are working with local authorities to do that so that they do not get to the point of an S114.