Local MP notes local councils to cash in on biggest funding boost in a decade
Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire, Ranil Jayawardena, has welcomed the government’s confirmation that Hampshire County Council will see its budget increased by 6.9 per cent this year, part of the Conservatives’ commitment to level up local services across the country. Meanwhile, Hart District Council will see its budget increased by 4.3 per cent this year and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council will see an increase of 11.2 per cent.
Local authorities across the country, including Hampshire County Council, Hart District Council and Basingstoke and Deane Borough 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 will be protected, with significant extra resources dedicated to areas where they are needed most.
Thanks to the commitment being made by the Conservatives, Hampshire County Council will have an extra £55 million to spend this year, Hart District Council will have an extra half a million pounds and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council will have an extra £1.5 million.
This takes our local councils’ core spending power up to £856.4 million for Hampshire County Council, £11.1 million for Hart District Council and £14.7 million for Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in 2020-21.
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.
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, Ranil Jayawardena MP said:
“I’m delighted the government has confirmed all three of our local councils here in North East Hampshire will benefit from additional funding this year – especially the extra £55 million for Hampshire County Council to spend – which will help our local councillors make positive changes for all in North East Hampshire and beyond.
“We were elected on a promise to level up local communities across the whole country and, with this funding increase, the biggest in a decade, we can start to do exactly that – making sure everyone lives in a community they can be proud of. It’s about helping you live a better life. I want to help you live a good life. That’s what keeps me going.”
“6.9 per cent more for Hampshire County Council, 4.3 per cent more for Hart District Council and 11.2 per cent more for Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is great news. An important part of ‘Our Plan’ for North East Hampshire is local services that keep us greener, cleaner and safer. We’ve already started delivering more police patrols to keep us and our families safe, so this commitment will help deliver the other local services we deserve too.”
“Alongside this, I back the recent announcement by Hampshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner that we’ll now have over 450 new officers in our county – with an extra 94 to be hired on top of what we’ve promised to date. Together, it’s time to take back control of our streets and you can sign my petition to make sure Hampshire continues to get our fair share of the 20,000 new officers at: ranil.uk/policing”
