Responding to the provisional local government finance settlement, District Councils’ Network Chairman, Cllr John Fuller, said:
“We are pleased that the Government has listened to the voice of districts and removed the threat of negative RSG – which is tax on local ambition – alongside no further changes to the New Homes Bonus baseline rate. The New Homes Bonus is a powerful driver for housing growth which rewards those councils who are delivering the homes this country needs and it is right that councils are not disincentivised in delivering more homes.
“Districts have seen the biggest reduction in their spending power since 2015 compared to other types of councils. We will now be considering the detail of consultations launched today on the fair funding review and business rate retention to ensure that the decline in district spending power is reversed and local economic growth is incentivised, to ensure that districts continue to deliver better lives and stronger economies.”
ENDS
CONTACT: DCN media office, 020 7664 3333