Briefings and responses

Our Autumn Budget 2024 briefing summarises the key announcements for councils and provides an initial LGA view

This response has been cleared by the lead members of the LGA’s Economy and Resources Board.

This briefing is aimed at Parliamentarians who want a summary of our 2024 Autumn Budget and Spending Review submission.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is the domestic replacement for the European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF).

The LGA welcomes the opportunity to respond to the annual consultation on the National Fraud Initiative (NFI) workplan and scale of fees.

We do not expect this Bill to have any significant effects on local authority investment or procurement practices. However, we have significant concerns about the effects the current drafting will have on the operation of the Local Government Pensions Scheme (LGPS).

It has been clear for a long time that local audit is in crisis. The causes are multi-faceted and complex. We have been pressing the Government to set a firm timetable by which timely audits will be restored.

In October 2023, before the Government announced an additional £600 million in funding for the sector, the LGA estimated that councils in England faced a funding gap of £4 billion. Councils’ financial pressures and needs must be seen in the context of the huge contribution that councils already make and of their potential to do more to support the delivery of public services.

Our Spring Budget 2024 on-the-day briefing summarises the key announcements for councils and provides an initial LGA view.

This response has been cleared by the LGA’s Economy and Resources Board.