§ Ms RyanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent financial arrangements he has made to assist the London Borough of Haringey. [80062]
§ Mr. MealeHaringey has serious short-term financial difficulties brought about by a variety of circumstances which have combined to put their revenue budget under severe pressure. After having regard to all the relevant factors, and in view of the fact that some of the Council's circumstances could not reasonably have been foreseen and planned for by the authority, I have concluded that Haringey should receive some form of assistance in order to protect the delivery of local statutory services.
The most appropriate form of assistance is the offer of a Supplementary Credit Approval (SCA) of £1.3 million in 1998–99. This, with a capitalisation direction, will allow the Council to spread some of its costs in 1999–2000 over a number of years and so bring its budget back to a manageable level. It will be for Haringey in the first instance to decide which costs they intend to finance through the SCA.