Local Authorities Warn of Council Tax Rises Due to ‘Disappointing’ Government Funding Package

Local governments have warned of higher council taxes following the government announcing its provisional funding package for councils in the year 2024–25. Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said the £64 billion settlement represents an above-inflation 6.5 percent increase on the current financial year. Councillor Shaun Davies, Labour Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA), said the uplift “assumes that all councils will increase their council tax bills by the maximum allowed.” Conservative Councillor Barry Lewis, finance spokesperson and vice-chairman of the County Councils Network (CCN), also said the settlement will be “bitterly disappointing for England’s county authorities.” It comes after the two bodies representing councils in England said a significant proportion of councils are at risk of effective bankruptcy....