James Naish, MP for Rushcliffe, has welcomed the government’s Draft Local Government Finance Settlement, announced on Wednesday, which will see Rushcliffe Borough Council and Nottinghamshire County Council receive a Core Spending Power uplift of £235 million for essential local services between 2024/25 and 2028/29.
The multi-year settlement – the first since 2015/16 to 2019/20 – forms part of the government’s “Fair Funding” reforms which are designed to reflect local need, deprivation and the true cost of delivering services.
The multi-year settlement is expected to help councils plan ahead, rather than firefight from one year to the next as they’ve been doing since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nottinghamshire County Council has received a 30.1% increase in Core Spending Power for the period, reflecting the types of services it delivers (adult social care, education, children’s services and highways among others). This is compared to an increase of only 7% for the County Council between 2015/16 and 2019/20.
The benefits for Borough and District Councils – which don’t have responsibility for the larger spending areas – are less pronounced, with the Core Spending Power of Rushcliffe Borough Council projected to rise by 4.6% between 2024/25 and 2028/29. Of Nottinghamshire’s seven district and borough councils, Rushcliffe is third for the increase to its Core Spending Power, and the increase compares favourably to the last multi-year settlement when Rushcliffe’s funding fell by 5% between 2015/16 and 2019/20.
Investments by the East Midlands Mayor, such as into the Trent Sports Quarter and the Trent Arc, are not included in the Local Government Finance Settlement.
Commenting on the announcement, James Naish MP said: “I welcome yesterday’s Draft Local Government Finance Settlement. After years in which councils were too often asked to do more with less, this Settlement provides a sense of stability and support.
“For Nottingham County Council which provides the vast majority of services to Rushcliffe residents, it means £234 million more – a 30.1% increase in Core Spending Power between 2024/25 and 2028/29 – to maintain local roads, to strengthen support for children and older people, and to invest in our schools.
“For small councils like Rushcliffe Borough Council, the settlement is more challenging but Rushcliffe is still expected to see a 4.6% increase in Core Spending Power between 2024/25 and 2028/29, meaning it can keep our neighbourhood functioning smoothly.
James continued: “This settlement puts a nail in the coffin of local government’s austerity years, with over £400 million of extra funding for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire councils by 2028/29. This will help to restore pride in our communities.”
Following the announcement in parliament, James raised the importance of avoiding cliff edges as existing funding pots are closed, something he has previously written to ministers about on behalf of Rushcliffe Borough Council. He also asked to meet the local government minister to discuss higher service costs in rural communities. They will meet in January for this discussion, before the Final Local Government Finance Settlement is published in late February / early March.
James plans to work closely with Nottinghamshire County Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council to ensure the Settlement delivers tangible improvements locally, notably in special educational needs provision, local bus services and the state of Nottinghamshire’s roads.
