Mid Sussex MP backs ‘dawn of long-term financial certainty for councils’

In his Autumn Statement last month Chancellor George Osborne announced that councils would keep 100 per cent of business rates raised in their areas, while authorities such as West Sussex County Council could increase their part of council tax by up to two per cent to fund adult social care.

Sir Nicholas Soames welcomed the ‘decentralising local government financial settlement’ and argued a multi-year settlement would give Mid Sussex District Council confidence and certainty as they managed their finances for the future.

He said this represented the dawn of long-term financial certainty for councils’ and added: “After decades of campaigning this is a historic settlement for local government, giving local councils more power to serve the needs of local people. The settlement protects funding available for councils over the next four years and prioritises caring for the elderly.

“This settlement shows the power of devolution, resources have been made available for local councils, and we are in a great position to provide the services local people need and to continue to serve the community.”

He said that by 2020, £3.5bn would be made available for adult social care, with some coming through the NHS from the Better Care Fund, and the rest through the new social care precept.

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