REFORMING THE REVENUE GRANT SYSTEM
Q1: Under future approaches to grant distribution, what can be done to explain the system and the decisions it produces to authorities and other stakeholders?
Q2: How do we strike the right balance between predictability and stability of funding and the need to take account of changes in local authorities' circumstances? In particular, how should floors and ceilings be set?
Q3: What can local authorities do to extend the benefits of predictability and stability of funding to schools and other budget holders, to community partners and tax payers?
Q4: Should we extend the moratorium on SSA formula changes, to allow time to put a new grant distribution system in place?
Q5: Should we introduce more judgement into the formulae used to distribute revenue grant?
Q6: Should we introduce 'Safety Valves'? How should they work?
Q7: Should the grant distribution take account of local authorities' own plans?
Q8: If plans are taken into account, what more can the Government do to reassure authorities that it will give due weight to national and local priorities?
CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND BORROWING
Q9: Should we abolish the requirement that local authorities need Government permission to borrow?
Q10: Are the safeguards that we have proposed sufficient to protect national and local taxpayers, and to promote private finance deals and partnership working?
See responsesQ11: How can we ensure that local people are properly consulted about investment plans and understand their long term financial implications?
See responsesQ12: How should we allocate revenue grant to support capital investment?
See responsesTAXES AND CHARGES
Q13: Should there be a statutory revaluation cycle for council tax?
See responsesQ14: How can council tax bills be made clearer?
See responsesQ15: Do our proposals for implementing the supplementary rate provide adequate safeguards for local business, while being reasonably simple to operate?
See responsesQ16: What are the merits of the specific suggestions for business rate reliefs and for a local tax reinvestment programme? Do they risk making the tax too complicated?
See responsesQ17: Do the proposals on business rate revaluation secure greater predictability and stability for the stakeholders? Are they fair? Are they workable?
See responsesDIFFERENT SERVICES AND AUTHORITIES
Q18: Education
- How can we ensure that funding is properly matched to the separate responsibilities of local authorities and schools?
- How can we ensure that the funds allocated by central Government for education are used for that purpose?
- How can we ensure a fair allocation of funding between authorities and between schools in authorities to reflect pupil needs?
Q19: Should we have a single local government finance system for all authorities? Or should it be customised for police authorities, fire authorities, parish or district councils.
Q20: Are there any other measures we should take in pursuit of our aims as given in paragraph 1.3?
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Published 5 March 2001
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