Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman introduced the LGA Board annual reports reviewing the work they have overseen during the previous meeting cycle and setting out their key achievements.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe highlighted the work on producing an LGA adult social care green paper. She emphasised that the green paper will focus on the importance of adult social care; options for changes to make the system better; options for how we could pay for those changes; and how we can shift the overall focus of our care and health system so there is a far greater emphasis on community-based and person-centred preventative work. It was also raised that a key part of the green paper will be around creating a discussion on how to fund adult social care.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe also informed the LGA Executive that the LGA would be carrying out public engagement on the green paper in August and September, as well as political engagement over the party conference season. The LGA Executive was asked to encourage their own local authorities to engage with the consultation.

Decision

The LGA Executive noted the Boards’ achievements on the 2017/18 meeting year.

Nicola Morton, Head of Local Government Finance, introduced the report which set out updates on progress on Fair Funding Review and Business Rates Retention work since the previous meeting of the LGA Executive. 

Members noted that two separate relative needs assessment and council tax adjustment models had been published, and had been cleared through Group Leaders and the Task and Finish Group on Business Rates Retention and Fair Funding Review. LGFutures had been commissioned to produce a model to look at ways in which the transition from the current pattern of funding to the one following the Fair Funding Review and introduction of 75 per cent retention could be implemented.

Joint work with the Government on the Fair Funding Review was continuing through the technical working groups, and the most recent meeting had discussed the Area Costs Adjustment, principles for future transitional arrangements, and treatment of historic supported capital borrowing. A wider consultation on the Fair Funding Review and one on Business Rates Retention are still expected in autumn 2018. The LGA was currently waiting for a prospectus to be published inviting bids for Business Rates Retention pilots for 2019/20.

In the discussion with Members that followed, the following suggestions were made;

·         A concern was raised that there was no guarantee that local authorities who are currently piloting further business rates retention will be included in the next wave of pilots.

·         A view was expressed that MHCLG should continue to look for a solution to make it easier for pilots to happen in two-tier areas.

Decision

The LGA Executive noted the update.

Action

Officers to proceed with delivery of the LGA work programme on Business Rates Retention and the Fair Funding Review as directed by the LGA Executive, Leadership Board and the Business Rates Retention and Fair Funding Review Task and Finish Group.

The LGA Executive agreed the notes of the last Leadership Board meeting.

The LGA Executive agreed the notes of the last meeting.