§ The Minister for Local Government, Regional Governance and Fire (Mr. Nick Raynsford)Yesterday I laid before the House the Local Government Finance Report (England) 2004–05. This report establishes the amounts of revenue support grant (RSG) and non-domestic rates (NDR) to be paid to local authorities in 2004–05, and the basis of their distribution. A draft of this report was issued for consultation on 19 November 2003. A revised draft was also issued on 11 December, following the announcement in the Chancellor's pre-Budget report of additional money for local authorities.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister received a total of 454 written representations within the consultation deadlines from the Local Government Association and the Association of London Government, from local authorities, local authority groups and hon. Members. ODPM Ministers met with delegations from six local authority associations and representative groups to discuss the proposals.
Having considered the views of the local authority associations and others who have commented on the provisional settlement, I have decided to confirm my proposals on the bases of distribution.
The final figures published today reflect the more accurate data and resource totals that have become available since we published our proposals, and also appropriate data corrections to reflect errors discovered by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister or notified to us by local authorities.
This year's settlement provides another good increase in grant for local authorities. As last year, every local authority has been given a grant increase above the rate of inflation on a like for like basis. With this increase, we expect councils to continue to be able to provide good services while setting reasonable council tax increases. To this end, we have made an extra £640 million available for non-schools services in 2004–05. This is additional to the money allocated under the last spending review, and brings the total increase in money from Government to local councils to 30 per cent. since 1997 in real terms.
I shall be sending copies of this report to all local authorities, and making available full supporting information on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/ finance/0405/grant.htm
I have placed copies of the report in the Journal Office; and copies of the report, tables showing each authority's formula spending shares and its allocation 22WS of RSG and NDR, and other supporting material are available in the Vote Office, the Printed Paper Office and the Libraries of the House.