Dr Luke Evans, Member of Parliament for Bosworth, has welcomed an increase in the Core Spending Power for Local Authorities following months of lobbying by the MP for additional funding for Leicestershire County Council.
The Government has pledged a further £600 million of funding for Local Authorities, bringing the additional £3.9 billion figure announced in 2023 up to £4.5 billion for the next financial year.
Dr Evans adds “This is a welcome uplift for many councils, especially Leicestershire County Council, who have been battling inflation.”
This additional funding represents a 7.5 per cent increase in cash terms, an above-inflation increase, rising from £60.2 billion in 2023-24 to up to £64.7 billion in 2024-25.
The announcement includes £500 million for Local Authorities responsible for the delivery of deliver adult and children’s social care, something which Dr Evans has been campaigning for.
Dr Evans and other Leicestershire MPs successfully secured a meeting between Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and representatives from Leicestershire County Council, they are the only MPs to have secured a meeting between their County Council and the Chancellor.
Dr Luke Evans, Member of Parliament for Bosworth, said “In January alone I met with the Chancellor, Local Government Minister, Levelling Up Minister and spoke in the House of Commons to reiterate the need for increased Government funding for our councils.
“The provision of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support in our area is something that people across our community regularly raise with me, so I was particularly pleased to see the announcement of an additional £500m for Local Authorities with responsibility for adult and children’s social care.
“More needs to be done to put Leicestershire County Council’s finances on par with similar councils across the Country, but this is a welcome step in the right direction.”
Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, added “ We know that councils have faced cost pressures as a result of high inflation. That is why the Prime Minister has prioritised halving it; it is important that we stick to the Plan.
“This funding, in turn, will reduce pressures on other areas of children’s services such as home to school transport, where we recognise there has been a significant increase in pressures for Special Educational Needs and Disability services.”
In the photo attached (taken 24th January 2024) are Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Dr Luke Evans MP, Alicia Kearns (MP for Rutland and Melton), Sir John Hayes (MP for South Holland and The Deepings in Lincolnshire), Dr Caroline Johnson (MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham in Lincolnshire), Dame Andrea Leadsom (MP for South Northamptonshire) and Neil O’Brien (MP for Harborough).
