Race is on for two-speed post-election reforms

摘要

A two-speed process to reform local government finance should be launched after the election, sector experts have suggested. Labour's shadow local government minister Andy Sawford told The MJ last month his party would race to reform the system by the end of this year if elected. But sector figures also want a 'gargantuan effort' to identify the true base costs of delivering statutory services. A recent report by the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities said the 'lengthy and difficult' task was 'entirely necessary in the face of increasingly limited resources'. The report read: 'Problems with the existing local government finance system mean that [deprived authorities'] ability to provide vital services is now being threatened, further exacerbating the growing divide between deprived and prosperous authorities.