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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, and if so what, discussions took place between DCLG and Surrey County Council about plans for a referendum on council tax increases; and if so, whether anyone working in the Prime Minister's office or at No 10 Downing Street was aware of or involved in those discussions.

As part of the statutory draft Local Government Finance Settlement consultation, the Department for Communities and Local Government and other parts of government discuss local government funding with councils across the country, of all types and all political colours. This happens every year and necessarily involves councils making direct representations to the government.

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government laid a Written Ministerial Statement before the House of Commons on 9 February specifically regarding the conversations that were had between the Department and Surrey County Council about the Local Government Finance Settlement. The WMS (attached) can be found at the following link:

https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-02-09/HCWS470

The WMS was also repeated in the House of Lords on 9 February. This can be found (attached) at the following link:

https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Lords/2017-02-09/HLWS474/

The correspondence between Surrey County Council, MPs, and the Department on this matter is available online:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/surrey-county-council