Local Authority round-up: 01/11/24 – Autumn Budget Special
31st October, 2024
Our Local Authority round up provides brief summaries of topical information on a weekly basis, to keep you aware of the changes and updates relevant to you.
Devolution
The Autumn Budget, delivered on the 30th October, made explicit reference to the “upcoming” English Devolution White Paper. It is anticipated that the White Paper will set out in more detail the Government’s Devolution plans, including how they plan to work with Councils to move to simpler structures.
The Government also introduced the first integrated settlements for the Greater Manchester and the West Midlands Combined Authorities from 2025‑26. The next Mayoral Combined Authorities to be eligible to receive integrated settlements from 2026‑27 have been confirmed as the North East, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authorities, and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. It is hoped that this will allow local authorities to gain more autonomy over their spending to more accurately address the issues faced in each area.
For more information please click here.
Public Sector Reform
The Budget announced a new Public Sector Reform and Innovation Fund to accelerate the development and improvement of public services.
The Budget allocates £165 million of this Fund to support foster carer recruitment and planning reform. In addition, the Budget allocates £100 million to deliver innovative projects, partnering with local leaders, and developing new approaches to public service reform.
For more information please click here.
Local Government Funding
The Government has allotted an additional £1.3 billion of grant funding for local authorities, including at least £600 million for social care services.
It has also been announced that the Government plans to implement multi-year settlements for local government. It has been said that funding through the Local Government Finance Settlement will begin with a targeted approach in 2025-26, with a broader redistribution of funding through a multi-year settlement from 2026-27. It is anticipated that the Government will announce more details in the upcoming Local Government Finance Policy Statement.
For more information please click here.
Upcoming Events
Webinar: PFI Update
Join us for our PFI Update on Tuesday 5th November between 10:30am – 12:30pm.
During this session, our experts will explore best practices for the daily management of PFI contracts, review recent case studies, and discuss lessons learned from recent PFI contract expiries.
We will also cover effective strategies and timescales for managing contract expiries, examine potential threats of insolvency from Project Co (with insights from a special guest leading counsel), and delve into PFI case law. Additionally, the session will address the latest trends in dispute resolution.
To register your place, please click here.
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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