Local Government Funding

EDM number 664 in 2017-19, proposed by Caroline Lucas on 06/12/2017.
Categorised under the topics of Local government and Public expenditure.

That this House remains deeply concerned that Government funding to local authorities in England reduced by 37 per cent in real terms between 2010-11 and 2015 according to the National Audit Office; notes Local Government Association (LGA) analysis that by 2020 local government in England will have lost 75 pence out of every £1 of core central government funding and councils will face an estimated overall funding gap of £5.8 billion; considers such cuts an ongoing risk to cherished community services and essential frontline services, such as adult social care, support for older people, looked-after children, care­ leavers, those with disabilities or special educational needs, survivors of domestic violence and low-income families in crisis; further notes the negative impact on initiatives needed to improve equality, sustainability and resilience, such as providing genuinely affordable, energy efficient homes, supporting socially necessary bus services, transforming how we collect and sort waste, and public-backed investment in renewable energy; notes how Government policies, such as the bedroom tax, benefits and pay freezes, the roll-out of universal credit and public health budget cuts are increasing demand for council services; considers the cumulative effect combined with privatisation and outsourcing is putting an end to local government as we know it; calls on the Government to heed warnings from the LGA of real and growing uncertainty about how local services will be funded beyond 2020, and to urgently provide local councils with the money to protect services and restore spending on community and frontline services to sustainable levels.

This motion has been signed by a total of 11 MPs.