Marco Longhi MP welcomes confirmation of biggest funding boost for local councils in a decade

Marco Longhi MP has welcomed the Government’s confirmation that Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council will see its budget increased by 6.6% this year, part of the Conservatives’ commitment to level up local services across the country.

Local authorities across the country, including Dudley Council, will receive a share of £49.2 billion local government funding this year – a 4.4 per cent real terms increase and the largest year-on-year real terms increase in a decade. Funding for key public services in will be protected, with significant extra resources dedicated to areas where they are needed most. Thanks to the investment being made by the Conservatives, Dudley Council will have an extra £15.2 million to spend this year.

The latest Local Government Finance Settlement, which was confirmed by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick in February, includes an additional £1.5 billion for social care. When added to the existing social care package, local authorities will now have access to over £5.5 billion of dedicated funding across adult and children’s social care in 2020-21.

Local authorities will also be rewarded for building new homes, with another £907 million committed to the New Homes Bonus scheme for 2020-21 to encourage development that benefit local communities.

Thanks to measures taken by the Conservatives, local authorities will be able to prevent excessive Council Tax rises – striking the right balance between the interests of council taxpayers and addressing pressures on services.

Commenting, Marco Longhi MP said:

“Local authorities play a vital role in our communities, providing the crucial local services that people rely on every day.

“I am delighted that the Conservative Government has confirmed Dudley Council will have additional funding this year, which will help our local leaders make positive change in the area.

“The Conservatives were elected on a promise to level up local communities across the whole country, and with this funding increase, we can start to do exactly that, ensuring everyone lives in a community they can be proud of.”