A new survey has revealed councils think the time is right to change the way cities are funded. The joint PricewaterhouseCoopers and Centre for Cities survey showed nine in 10 business and city leaders across England want more financial power to improve local infrastructure and a definite move away from centrally-raised funds. A total of 86% are in favour of using new local funding tools, such as business rate supplements and roof tariffs, to help bridge the investment gap. A further 92% of respondents agreed that business needs to have a clear say in how to tackle local transport and housing problems, and 69% believe their council would introduce business rate supplements. ‘Undoubtedly, there's now a greater willingness to devolve both financial and governance powers from national to local government,' said Angie Robinson, chief executive of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. ‘With proper controls in place and a clear set of agreed spending targets linked to tangible benefits, the way is open for those cities and businesses that move first on this to be the real winners.'
