District Councils’ Network Responds to Budget
Responding to measures set out by the Chancellor in today’s Budget, Cllr John Fuller OBE, Chairman of the District Councils’ Network, said:
“We are pleased to see a Budget that recognises that Districts are best placed to get families and businesses knocked by coronavirus quickly back on their feet with a £500 million hardship fund that the DCN helped design.
“It is a Budget that does more to put a roof over everyone’s head, that builds more council homes, that tackles the scourge of fly-tipping, that supports our local high streets and village stores and connects our communities with new infrastructure and electronic communications.
“The Budget recognises that district councils are closest to the people and businesses they serve with the ability to solve problems quickly one family at a time and to build a prosperous future one local economy at a time.
“The Chancellor knows that we are best placed to deliver for this country. Delivering the greatest returns on investment in towns and cities across England – delivering the reliefs to our local businesses, investing in the homes our communities need and to step up to do whatever is necessary to move people off the streets and into homes.
“We welcome confirmation in the red book of the elimination of the negative Revenue Support Grant, and looking ahead will work hard to ensure a sustainable long-term funding for districts from the Spending Review whilst preparing responses to the Planning White Paper, English Devolution White Paper and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to build better lives and stronger economies.”