Funding reforms could hit county council funding

County councils have been warned they could lose up to £800
million a year under reforms proposed for calculating the standard
spending assessment, currently under consultation until the end of
September, writes Katie Leason.

Tim Richens, a member of the finance advisory team for the
County Councils Network and assistant director of finance at
Somerset, said that while this would be the worst case scenario,
the options proposed give the impression that money is being
shifted from rural shire areas to urban metropolitan areas.

He said: “We are very concerned that there seems to be a shift
of resources away from county areas. We will be looking at each
option in detail and give the county view on what options we would
like to see taken forward.”

A separate report by CCN said that organisationally social care
and health need to work virtually as one.

It adds that short term fixes will no longer be effective in
saving the severe financial position of social services, and that
without creative solutions individuals will receive a reduced or
delayed service, or worse, no service at all.

The County Councils Network is a special interest group within
the Local Government Association.

Consultation paper ‘Formula Grant Distribution’ from http://www.local.dtlr.gov.uk/review/consult/index.htm

CCN report ‘Vision for the Future’ from 020 7664 3007