A plan to simplify aspects of the funding landscape for councils and tackle multiple funding pots for local growth was announced at the LGA’s annual conference in July.
The plan includes simplifying some existing levelling-up funds, the introduction of a ‘funding simplification doctrine’ that will apply to new grants, and a cross-Whitehall commitment to consider allocating new funds rather than inviting competitive bids.
Ten pilot local authorities will be able to spend existing funding from the Towns, Levelling Up and Future High Streets programmes more flexibly, and all councils with such funding will be able to make output, outcome and funding changes up to a 30 per cent threshold without needing government approval.
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove told delegates: “If councils are to be empowered to deliver, then we need to help make funding simpler, more rational and predictable.”
Mr Gove also launched the new Office for Local Government (Oflog), to “improve accountability and transparency” and help “identify where councils need targeted support to deliver”.
Oflog has developed a new data dashboard, called the Local Authority Data Explorer.
Responding to Oflog’s launch, Cllr Shaun Davies, LGA Chair, said: “Local government has a very strong record of transparency.
“This includes our award-winning data tool, LG Inform, which is freely available to councils and the public, and contains much of the existing data that is already collected and published.
“Councils continue to do incredible things every day to provide vital local services, despite the huge financial pressures they are under, and a continued focus on supporting the vast majority of high-performing councils will be the best use of resources.”
