Agenda item

The Chair briefly introduced the report which was for information, updating Members on progress on EU funding 2014-2020 and on several work streams within the local government finance policy area.

In the discussion that followed, Members made a number of comments, including:

EU funding

·        Members expressed grave disappointment and concern at the decision to limit the role of local partners to ‘advisory’ and reiterated the imperative that the sector continue to push Government to recognise that local partners have a key and active role in delivering European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF) programmes on the ground.  

·        With reference to the division of Technical Assistance (TA) between local and national activity, Members stressed the importance that a watching brief be kept given the critical role of TA in providing capacity and resource for planning and supporting ESIF locally.

Business rates

·        Several members shared examples of business rates avoidance leading to asset deterioration from within their localities and emphasised the need for tools to address this.  Nicola Morton (Head of Local Government Finance) confirmed that this issue had been included in the LGA’s response to the Government’s consultation on Business Rates. 

Decision

The Resources Board noted the report and asked that its comments inform the Local Government Finance and EU Funding work streams.

Action

Circulate the LGA’s response to the Government’s Business Rates Consultation to Board Members.