Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman noted apologies from Cllr Barry Lewis (Con), Cllr Terry O’Neill (Lab), Cllr Michael Wilcox (Con), Cllr Debbie Wilcox (Lab), Cllr Anne Western (Lab), Cllr John Hart (Con), Cllr Lucy Nethsingha (Lib), Cllr Lib Peck (Lab) and Cllr Rishi Shori (Lab).

The Chairman also noted the following substitutes in attendance; Cllr James Dawson (Lab), Cllr Kate Haigh (Lab), Cllr Richard Henry (Lab), Cllr Helen Holland (Lab) and

Cllr John Merry (Lab).

Cllr Mark Hawthorne raised that in Cllr John Hart’s absence he would be representing South West Councils.

Oral report from Cllr Kevin Bentley (Chairman of the LGA's Brexit Taskforce)

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chairman of the LGA’s Brexit Task Force, provided an update to the LGA Executive on the work that the LGA was undertaking to support councils on work related to Britain’s exit from the EU.

In particular he emphasised that;

·         The Brexit Task Force is lobbying the Home Office on councils’ concerns regarding the impact of Brexit on the care sector;

·         There is a significant amount  of work underway in relation to the impact of Brexit on port services and how this could affect those councils with ports in their area; and

·         Concerns had been raised over the possible implications for UK data stored in for European cloud data storage. This was being further investigated.

In response to a query, Cllr Bentley emphasised that airports were included in the work that was being done around ports.

Decision

The LGA Executive noted the update from Cllr Kevin Bentley.

Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the LGA Resources Board, introduced the report which provided an update on the 2019/20 provisional Local Government Finance Settlement announced by the Government on 13 December 2018, and summarised the LGA’s formal response.

The LGA’s formal response was included in the report, which welcomed the additional resources but highlighted the large funding gap which remained, as well as particular issues regarding Adult and Children’s Social Care.

A view was expressed that it was positive to see Government had been persuaded to put additional resources to Children’s Social Care and that the LGA lobbying on this had been successful.

Decision

The LGA Executive noted the report.

Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Resources Board and the LGA Task and Finish group on Business Rates Retention and the Fair Funding Review, introduced the report which provided a summary of the Government’s recently published consultation on Business Rates Retention and asked Members to comment on the draft LGA response which had been developed by the Task and Finish Group. He emphasised that the Fair Funding Review had been immensely technical. He highlighted that the Government would also conduct a review of Central and Local Lists, with the aim of creating a rational and transparent system, and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to address the issue of the impact of appeals on councils’ budgets, and to reform the administration of the system. 

Cllr Watts and the Chairman also expressed their thanks to the Task and Finish Group and LGA staff involved for their work on Business Rates Retention and the Fair Funding Review.

Decision

The LGA Executive provided comments and agreed the draft LGA Response to MHCLG Business Rates Retention Reform Consultation ahead of its submission to the Government.

Action

Comments from Members to be taken into account when amending the draft consultation response. (Nicola Morton).

The Chairman emphasised that the Leadership Board had agreed unanimously that the LGA response should state that deprivation should remain as a cost driver in the foundation formula, and it would be for the Government to work out how this should be weighted.

Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Resources Board and the LGA Task and Finish group on Business Rates Retention and the Fair Funding Review, introduced the report which provided a summary of the Government's recently published consultation on the Fair Funding Review, and asked Members to comment on the draft LGA response which had been developed by the Task and Finish Group.

In the discussion that followed, Members raised the following points;

·         views were expressed that homelessness should have a separate formula or be dealt with outside of the system;

·         views were raised about the balance between incentivisation and rewarding innovation and efficiency and need;

·         the importance of funding formulas being evidence based and responsive to change were raised;

·         views were expressed that greater transparency in the funding formula would be crucial;

·         the importance of transition was raised; and

·         members expressed support for the LGA response stating that deprivation should remain as a cost driver in the foundation formula.

Decision

The LGA Executive provided comments and agreed the draft LGA response which has been developed with the LGA Task and Finish Group on Business Rates Retention and the Fair Funding Review ahead of its submission to the Government.

Action

Comments from Members to be taken into account when amending the draft consultation response. (Nicola Morton).

The LGA Executive agreed the minutes of the LGA Leadership Board meeting on 6 December 2018 and the LGA Leadership Board meeting on  23 January 2019.

The LGA Executive agreed the minutes of the last meeting.