§ Mr. Boyesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will produce a table showing the top 20 local authorities which are, by the Government's definition, overspending.
§ Mr. WaldegraveIn relation to total expenditure there are two comparative measures of authorities' spending performance. The grant related expenditure (GRE) is an assessment of the cost to each authority of providing a typical standard of service. The expenditure target is guidance issued by my right hon. Friend designed to achieve the Government's overall expenditure objectives for local government.
My right hon. Friend has indicated that spending performance in relation to both these measures is likely to be relevant to selection of authorities for rate limitation in 1985–86.
It is not possible to make firm decisions on the selection of local authorities for rate limitation until 1984–85 budgets are available. In 1983–84 the following authorities are the 20 with the highest percentage excess over GRE and target respectively.
Overspending on target
- Greater London Council
- Greenwich
- Southwark
- Leicester
- Crawley
- ILEA
- Basildon
- Islington
- Lambeth
- Harlow
- Merseyside
- Haringey
- Camden
- Tyne and Wear
89 - West Midlands
- South Ribble
- Sheffield
- Greater Manchester
- Thamesdown
- Hartlepool
Overspending on GRE*
- City of London
- Thamesdown
- Greater London Council
- Sedgefield
- South Yorkshire
- Harlow
- Crawley
- ILEA
- Camden
- Greenwich
- Tower Hamlets
- Rossendale
- Stevenage
- Lewisham
- Langbaurgh
- Basildon
- Burnley
- Wansbeck
- Wyre Forest
- Wear Valley
- * First supplementary report.
Under clause 2 of the Rates Bill any authority with total expenditure below £10 million would be excluded from selection for rate limitation.