Councils claim funding settlement benefits wealthier areas

Important elements of the funding settlement for councils this year disproportionately benefit richer areas and fail to take into account a range of growing demand pressures, according to local authorities serving some of the poorest communities.

In its response to the Government’s consultation on the settlement for 2024/25 published last month, the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (Sigoma) said the Government’s approach shows funding decisions are increasingly less focused on local needs, raising the risk