The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's (CIPFA) initial response to the final local government finance settlement described it as a welcome injection of support for England's councils while making clear that significant policy reform remains essential to secure the sector's long-term sustainability. That dual message remains important.
The announcements from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will have profound implications for communities and councils across the country. Funding is being rerouted using new deprivation-based models alongside structural changes that signal what may prove a more stable future for the sector.
