CENTRAL DEVON MP Mel Stride has welcomed £1.6 billion of extra funding for local authorities from central government so they have the resources they need to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. This is the second wave of funding for councils after the same amount was also provided in March.
The initial funding went primarily to county councils to be spent on adult social care and children’s services as they faced the most urgent pressures. This new funding will see district and borough councils benefit significantly as well. Central Devon covers four district council areas – Teignbridge will receive £1.34m, Mid Devon £825k, West Devon £556k, and East Devon £1.57m. Devon County Council will receive a further £14.2m and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority will benefit from an extra £1.3m.
Mr Stride, who chairs the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee, said:
“Providing £3.2 billion to local authorities in the past two months to help deal with the impact of coronavirus is an unprecedented move to ensure local services are protected. The four district and borough councils that cover Central Devon will receive over £4 million between them and should ensure vital services such as waste and recycling collections continue uninterrupted. The extra £14 million for Devon County Council, on top of the £22 million provided in March, will help maintain adult social care and children’s services.”
Like the first tranche of funding, this second wave will not be ring-fenced, so local councils who know their communities best can decide how it is spent.
Photo: Mel with Devon County Council Leader John Hart (before the coronavirus pandemic).
