Committees

COVID-19: Local Government finance

Inquiry

Local authority finances are under significant pressure in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with central government asking local authorities to deliver many additional services on top of the cost of many existing services increasing, opportunities to implement savings programmes being disrupted, and various locally generated income streams have fallen.

These challenges follow a decade in which local authority funding has reduced while demand for key services has risen. As a result, the ability of authorities to maintain financial and service sustainability this year and over the medium-term is being tested.

The Committee will question senior officials at HM Treasury and MHCLG on the evolving financial pressures on local government and support provided by central government, and whether government has taken effective steps both in asking local government to deliver new services and in meeting its responsibilities for supporting financial sustainability across the sector.

If you have evidence on these questions, please submit it here by 6:00 pm on Thursday 11 March 2021.

Upcoming events

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Past events

Thursday 18 March 2021
9:15am Private
10:00am Public
COVID-19: Local Government finance - Oral evidence 18 March 2021
10:00am
  • Jeremy Pocklington CB (Permanent Secretary at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government)
  • Alex Skinner (Director Local Government Finance at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government)
  • Catherine Frances (Director General Local Government, Strategy and Analysis at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government)
  • Cat Little (Director General Public Spending at Her Majesty's Treasury)
The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Monday 15 March 2021
1:45pm Private
2:30pm Public
COVID-19: Local Government finance - Oral evidence 15 March 2021
2:30pm
  • Lorna Baxter (Finance Director at Oxfordshire County Council)
  • Rob Whiteman (Chief Executive at The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy)
  • Martin Reeves (Finance Lead at Solace)
  • Carol Culley (Deputy Chief Executive at Manchester City Council)
The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

Contact us

  • Email: pubaccom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 5776 (general enquiries) | 020 7219 8480 (media enquiries)
  • Address: Public Accounts Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA