Welsh local government minister, Brian Gibbons, has announced a £105m increase in the national government's revenue support grant for councils for 2009/10. In doing so, Dr Gibbons also confirmed the minimum grant increase for all local authorities would be 1.5% – thereby retaining the funding ‘floor' introduced last year. Average increases to councils following the settlement will be 2.8% Local authorities will also receive in excess of £650m in specific grants in 2009-10 for priority areas such as the Foundation Phase and concessionary bus fares. Announcing the settlement, Dr Gibbons said: ‘I acknowledge that local government, together with all sections of society, is facing additional pressures from escalating energy costs, and that difficult decisions will have to be made in budgeting for the coming year.'
