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Lord Whitty (Lab)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 27 January 2025

Debate

Local Government: Funding

Contribution

My Lords, first, I am sure that the whole House endorses my noble friend’s opening words. It is indeed a moving day. On my Question, the biggest problem for local authorities is not structure or assessment. This Government and every other Government depend on local authorities’ ability to deliver many of their most important policies and strategies, and yet local government depends on an archaic system of local taxation—both council tax and business tax—and uncertain grants from central government. I hope the assessment that my noble friend refers to will begin to change that system, but does my noble friend not agree that a fundamental assessment of what local authorities need should be introduced so that we can start to improve the financial position of local authorities before the end of this Parliament?

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