Briefings and responses

The Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill seeks to provide 100 per cent business rates relief for standalone public lavatories in England and Wales. This includes publicly and privately owned, free to use and charging for entry lavatories.

Councils have shown leadership and supported their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Local authorities and their essential workforce have worked hard to protect the most vulnerable within their communities, they have supported businesses and convened the voluntary sector to bring together communities, as well as continuing to deliver key services.

The consultation paper was issued before strict measures were implemented to address the COVID-19 pandemic.  However, the financial environment for local government has changed so profoundly that we cannot overlook the issue. 

Our on-the-day briefing highlights the main announcements and their impact on local government.

The Local Government Finance Settlement is the annual determination of funding to local government from central government. The provisional Settlement for 2020/21 was published on 20 December 2019.

On 20 December, the Government announced the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2020/21.

We note that the consultation states that the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement will be published in December 2019. We would urge the Government to publish the provisional settlement as soon as possible after 12 December and no later than Parliament rising for the Christmas recess.

We welcome the proposal for businesses to provide more regular information to the VOA, as part of a move to more frequent valuations. This must be accompanied by measures to significantly reduce the backlog of appeals.

The 2019 Spending Round has provided councils with much of the funding certainty and stability they need for next year.

Councils will face an overall funding gap of £3.1 billion in 2019/20, which we estimate will rise to £8 billion by 2024/25. The pressures are particularly acute in adult social care, children’s services, public health and homelessness support. Overspends in these services have forced councils to make in-year budget cuts to balance their books.