Local Government Finance: Tyne and Wear

(asked on 10th July 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changes in local authority funding on the capacity of (a) South Tyneside and (b) Gateshead local authority to deliver essential services.


Answered by
Marcus Jones Portrait
Marcus Jones
Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
This question was answered on 14th July 2017

The financial settlements for South Tyneside and for Gateshead are broadly flat in cash terms between 2016-17 and 19-20. As democratically elected organisations, local authorities such as South Tyneside and Gateshead are independent of central government and are responsible for managing their budgets in line with local priorities. In 2016-17 we offered local authorities a 4-year settlement that guarantees their allocations for Revenue Support Grant, Rural Services Delivery Grant and Transition Grant, and that Business Rates top up and tariff payments will not change to reflect changes in relative needs. This offer was accepted by 97 per cent of councils including South Tyneside and Gateshead, enabling authorities to plan ahead with confidence, and meet the challenge of making savings, while continuing to provide excellent services to local communities.

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