Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Oral Answers to Questions

Pauline Latham Excerpts
Monday 8th July 2013

(11 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Brandon Lewis Portrait Brandon Lewis
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The hon. Gentleman must look at where we start. That is why it is important that all authorities, ranging from £2,800 to £1,600 spending power per household, need to look at what they can do to be efficient, sharing management, services and procurement benefits to ensure that they are giving good service to their residents and spending taxpayers’ money—let us not forget that—well in the first place.

Pauline Latham Portrait Pauline Latham (Mid Derbyshire) (Con)
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18. What recent assessment he has made of the financial situation of Derby city council.

Brandon Lewis Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis)
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We published the local government finance settlement for 2013-14 in February. Derby city council has an overall spending power figure of £2,021 per dwelling.

Pauline Latham Portrait Pauline Latham
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Does my hon. Friend agree that the decision by Labour-run Derby city council to reduce neighbourhood funding to wards with Conservative councillors is irresponsible and shows that that left-wing Labour council is stirring up a class war for politically motivated reasons? Allestree, Mickleover, Littleover, Oakwood and Chellaston have lost up to 90% of their funding, but Labour wards have received increases of up to 54%.

Brandon Lewis Portrait Brandon Lewis
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My hon. Friend makes a powerful point. We have devolved power, so it is very much a matter for local authorities how they distribute the money they spend, but I am sure that—with her making such a strong case—residents in Derby will look carefully at what the council has done and take a view on that when it comes to the next elections.