Councils responds to 2021 Spending Review and Autumn Budget

Responding to the Spending Review and Autumn Budget, Cllr James Jamieson, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said:

“We are pleased that today’s Spending Review has provided new government grant funding for councils over the next three years to support vital local services. This will help meet some – but not all – of the extra cost and demand pressures they face just to provide services at today’s levels.

“Capital investment in skills, transport, housebuilding, and the provision of school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) announced today are positive. It is also good that the Government will provide additional funding to help councils continue their ongoing efforts to support people at risk of rough sleeping and homelessness and to fix potholes and improve our local roads.

“It is disappointing that the Chancellor has not provided additional funding to address existing pressures on adult social care services and not increased public health funding. We remain concerned that the money allocated to social care from the Health and Care Levy will be insufficient to fund reforms. The potential rise in local government core spending power over the next three years will also be dependent on councils increasing council tax by 3 per cent per annum.

“Investing in local places is one of the most powerful tools of the Government’s levelling up agenda. With adequate long-term resources and freedoms, councils can deliver world-class local services for our communities, tackle the climate emergency, and ensure all parts of the country are able to prosper in the future.

“We continue to analyse the detail of today’s announcements. Councils will be looking for clarity and certainty over the future of local government funding reforms and that this three-year Spending Review is reflected in a three-year settlement for local government.”