LGiU Response- Budget 2017
Dr Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive of LGiU commented:
The Government has taken action to address the housing crisis at source – with councils who have been dealing with this crisis on the ground . Announcements on the HRA borrowing cap will be welcomed alongside firm commitments on infrastructure.
We welcome the commitment to business rates retention in London but councils still need to see progress on broader funding. Additional business rate retention pilots should be part of a coherent policy programme not just a free for all.
The lack of a commitment on social care will not ease very current worries about funding – despite the announcement last week of the consultation on the green paper, it will not be published until next July.
The Government has rightly focussed on the impact of the Grenfell fire and made additional support available to affected families but this will still need a commitment to ensure the lessons learnt are shared across local government.
About LGiU
The Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) is a think tank and membership body with over 200 councils and other organisations subscribing to our networks. We work to strengthen local democracy and put citizens in control of their own lives, communities and local services. For more information, visit lgiu.org.
