This week, the Government announced additional measures for local authorities, worth £600 million, including £500 million of new funding for councils for adult and children’s social care through the Social Care Grant.
This new funding means that local authorities in England will see an increase in their Core Spending Power of up to £4.5 billion next year, or 7.5% in cash terms – an above-inflation increase.
This is possible thanks to the significant progress made in the Government’s plan to halve inflation, grow the economy, and reduce debt.
The Government has also recognised the particular challenges facing rural areas and the authorities with responsibility for them. It will therefore provide an additional £15 million for the Rural Services Delivery Grant, an increase of over 15 per cent, and the largest cash increase since 2018-19.
Julian Smith said, “I’m really pleased by this week’s announcement. The focus on both increasing funding for social care and the unique challenges of servicing a dispersed population reflect the Government’s priorities to level up the country.
“North Yorkshire Council is the largest unitary authority in England, covering an area four times the size of Greater London, and is the third most populous. With this comes a huge range of challenges that the Council are rising to, but we must ensure they are backed with the necessary funding and resources.
“This announcement is the Government’s recognition of this, and I look forward to working with the Council and my ministerial colleagues to ensure the final settlement reflects North Yorkshire’s unique position.”
