Financial distress in local authorities – Levelling Up Committee inquiry questions Government Minister
The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Committee questions Simon Hoare MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Local Government), Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, as part of the Committee’s inquiry on financial distress in local authorities.
Meeting details
Ahead of the Autumn Statement, the cross-party group of MPs are likely to question the Minister on the spending pressures on local authorities and the increasing service demands on councils, including in areas such as social care, children’s services, and homelessness.
The committee are likely to explore issues including local government funding and spending, the role of central government, and financial management at councils.
In the wake of the recent issuing of a section 114 notice to Birmingham city council, the Committee is also likely to examine issues around financial oversight, control and scrutiny.
Issues of spending, financial management, and service pressures on local councils have been raised in the Committee inquiry’s previous two evidence sessions. On 13 November, the Committee questioned representatives from the National Audit Office, the Institute of Fiscal Studies, and local authority Chief Financial Officers (see 13 November transcript).
On 8 November, the Committee questioned local government bodies, including organisations such as the Local Government Association (LGA), London Councils, County Council Network, and District Councils Network (see 8 November transcript).