A council chief has backed calls for local authorities to be given more financial certainty.
It comes after the Local Government Association wrote to the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, to urge him to return to a system which would allow councils to better plan the provision of services.
Those views have been echoed by Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of Lichfield District Council, who said that greater certainty for the future was needed.
“We need to return to our multi-year settlements, giving medium term certainty and better value for residents.”
Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council
An open letter signed by members of the Local Government Association said councils were faced with major challenges under the current system.
“Significant uncertainty remains at the local level and nationally beyond 2024/25, which continues to hamper councils’ financial planning and financial sustainability.
“Councils need a multi-year settlement which provides sufficient funding for statutory services.
“This is crucial for councils to plan budgets effectively, manage future risk, and improve the financial resilience of local government.”
Local Government Association letter to the Chancellor
Despite the financial uncertainty, Lichfield District Council has an eye on funding a number of major development projects in the area.
Cllr Pullen said work to change the way the local authority worked had enabled them to commit to such schemes.
“Getting on top of our finances at Lichfield District Council has been a priority for me – it means we can fund investments into a cinema, build a leisure centre and improve our parks.”
Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council
