In my final column for first as Leader of the LGA’s Conservative Group, I want to put on record my thanks to all Conservative councillors across the country for the tremendous hard work you put into your communities.
Funding and measures to widen employment support, improve local roads, protect swimming pools from rising costs and support regeneration and levelling up were among the key announcements for councils in the March Spring Budget.
Costly competitions between councils vying for vital funding pots should be replaced to help realise the Government’s levelling up agenda, an LGA inquiry has found.
Nearly £850 million is to be given to councils to support vulnerable households with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
There has been a lot of focus recently on oversight of councils, in light of serious financial failings at some councils, including Thurrock, Croydon, and Northamptonshire – all of which resulted in formal intervention from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
The Government should make the Household Support Fund permanent and more flexible so councils can help residents in the greatest need, the LGA has said.
Local auditors gave opinions on only 12 per cent of local government bodies’ 2021/22 financial statements by the statutory deadline, according to a report from the National Audit Office.
Government proposals to increase local government core spending power by 9.2 per cent in 2023/24 will help councils manage inflationary and other cost pressures, the LGA has said.
