Bolsover MP, Mark Fletcher has welcomed news that Bolsover District Council will receive an additional £448,000 and North East Derbyshire Council will benefit from £226,000 out of a share of £900 million in additional funding for local councils announced by the Government.
Since the start of the pandemic, both Councils have received a combined £3.61million in extra direct support from the Government, helping to cover coronavirus-related costs and ensure they have the resources required to keep providing vital services.
Commenting Mark said:
“I welcome this additional funding which will help ease financial pressures on our local councils and ensure they are able to continue providing vital local services this winter.
“Just like we said we would stand behind people whose jobs are at risk – with over £200 billion so far to project jobs, incomes and businesses throughout and beyond this pandemic – this Conservative Government is keeping its promise to local authorities and ensuring they have the resources needed to continue supporting residents.”
Local leaders will be able to determine how to spend this additional funding in order to best protect public health, local vulnerable people and the running of vital services; this reflects the Government’s view that local authorities are best placed to determine local priorities.
This is the fourth announcement of extra direct support for local authorities since the start of the pandemic. It forms part of an unprecedented package of support for councils, which also includes up to £465 million through the new Local Alert Level system, £300 million to support Test and Trace and £30 million for enforcement and compliance. Councils can also claim funding through a compensation scheme for lost income from sales, fees and charges and further additional support will be made available to areas placed under Tier 3 restrictions.
Commenting, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said:
“Since the start of the pandemic, we have backed local councils with the funding they need to support their communities, protect vital services and recover lost income.
“This extra funding will ensure that councils have the resources that they need over the winter and continue to play an essential role on the front line of our response to the virus while protecting the most vulnerable and supporting local businesses.”
