- The Government has confirmed allocations of £1 billion funding for local authorities, with £919 million of further un-ringfenced funding for councils to respond to spending pressures.
- The City of Wolverhampton Council will receive £6.1 million additional emergency funding, bringing the total that it has received to £25 million.
- Stuart Anderson MP has been campaigning for more local funding to help tackle COVID-19.
Stuart Anderson MP has welcomed an additional £6.1 million for the City of Wolverhampton Council to help it continue delivering vital services during the ongoing situation regarding the outbreak of Coronavirus. Stuart Anderson MP has been calling on the Government to invest in Wolverhampton, which is currently in a period of localised restrictions.
The additional £6.1 million emergency funding is the fourth tranche of a financial support package for the City of Wolverhampton Council. So far, the Government’s economic response to Coronavirus has received more than £25 million in emergency funding. During the outbreak of Coronavirus, the Government has also provided more than £10.77 million in additional funds for specific projects, bringing overall funding to £36.32 million. This includes:
- Compliance and Enforcement grant.
- Reopening High Street Safely fund.
- ASC Infection Control Fund (Round 1&2).
- Provisional Rough Sleeping emergency fund.
- Next Steps Accommodation Programme.
Recognising that councils are best placed to decide how to meet pressures in their local area, the additional direct funding has not been ringfenced. Instead, the Government has asked councils use this funding to prioritise the running of vital services and protecting the most vulnerable and public health. The new funding means local councils will have £1bn extra in funding this winter to help maintain vital services.
Spending pressure funding has been allocated based on levels of population and deprivation, whilst also considering the amount of funding each council has received from the Government so far.
Stuart Anderson MP said: “I recognise the extreme disruption that Coronavirus has presented. I have continued to call on the Government to invest in Wolverhampton, and I am pleased that the Government has responded by providing an additional £6.9 million as part of a wider level of significant support for local authorities. I will continue to work with all local partners including the City of Wolverhampton Council and I would like to thank them for consistent hard-work at this difficult time.”
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 £1 billion 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.”
This is the fourth announcement of extra direct support for local authorities since the start of the pandemic. These funds are 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.
Total Covid-19 Direct Additional Funding - £25,547,181
Other support, including grant funding: £10.77
Total Extra Support: £36,32,000
Stuart Anderson MP is also the Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Black Country Economy, which has ambitious plans to level up opportunity across the region. This latest round of Government funding demonstrates the Government's huge package of financial support for the West Midlands, with total additional Covid funding for local authorities standing at £180 million and total government support standing at £1,228 million.