£1 bn boost for councils

摘要

After a year of drastic cuts to council budgets, £1bn of fresh government funding was announced this week - but critics questioned the timing of the cash injection and claimed it amounted to further ring-fencing. The new funding commitments include the £805m from chancellor, George Os-borne, announced on 3 October, to continue the council tax freeze for the 2012-13 financial year - the second year of his local tax freeze.