MP demands clarity over Government's plan for council funding

Bradford East MP Imran Hussain criticised the Government’s failure to set out how it expects councils to fund services beyond 2020.

Councils were told they would be allowed to keep business rates as part of a change which would see them lose their main Government grant in three years’ time.

But the business rates plan was recently dropped with ministers only committing to consulting with councils over the next move.

Mr Hussain said: “With a Government that is increasingly intent on cutting back local government funding, it is becoming more important for councils to have the financial security of knowing their funding arrangements in the coming years, and whilst the current funding settlement will last until 2020, the Government have failed to set out what arrangements will be in place once this ends.

“To leave councils waiting up to another two years for a decision on their future funding arrangements, and potentially leaving them with just a year to prepare, is callous behaviour by the Government, and it is dangerous for local authorities such as Bradford who have already cut their services to the bone to save money, but who will potentially have to make even deeper cuts because of funding changes.”