The Isle of Wight Council will receive a share of £1.6billion in additional funding as the coronavirus pandemic continues, the Local Government Secretary has announced this week.
This extra money takes the total given to councils to help their communities through this crisis to over £3.2billion, an unprecedented level of additional financial support in recent times.
The funding will mean councils can continue to provide essential services and support to those who need it most.
Yesterday’s announcement follows an initial £1.6billion given to councils last month which supported the work they have done to free up vital hospital beds and deliver essential supplies to the vulnerable.
Making the announcement today, Robert Jenrick MP has written to all councils in England to thank them for their continued efforts as they work around the clock to support their residents. In his letter, the Local Government Secretary called them the “unsung heroes” of the coronavirus response who are helping to keep the country moving by ensuring vulnerable people receive the care they need and essential services continue.
Local Government Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:
“The announcement of an additional £1.6 billion of new funding to councils means we have now provided them with over £3.2 billion during this pandemic.
“I promised local government would have the resources they need to meet this challenge and today demonstrates my commitment to doing just that. We stand shoulder to shoulder with local government and my priority is to make sure they are supported so they can continue to support their communities through this challenging time.
Article continues below this advertisement “Up and down the country council workers are the unsung heroes as we tackle this virus. They are in the front line of the national effort to keep the public safe and deliver the services people need. Never has this been more important and we are all rightly grateful for everything that they are doing.
“This new funding will support them through immediate pressures they are facing to respond to coronavirus and protect vital services”.
The government will continue to work with councils over the coming weeks to ensure they are managing as the pandemic progresses.
Responding to the extra funding, Local Government Association Chairman Cllr James Jamieson said:
“Councils across the country are leading efforts to support communities through the unprecedented coronavirus crisis we face. They continue to do an amazing job.
“We are pleased the Government continues to recognise the huge efforts councils and our staff are making and has responded quickly to our deep concerns about the financial strains being placed on them by providing more desperately-needed new funding. Alongside previous money and measures, this will this give councils breathing space.
“It is also reassuring that the Secretary of State has reiterated his promise today that councils will get all the resources they will need to cope with this pandemic. This commitment needs to be rock solid and consistent so councils can stay focused on leading the local response to the greatest challenge we have faced as a nation for decades.
“The pressures facing councils are significant, wide-ranging and vary from place to place and this funding will need to reach all councils. It is good that councils will be able to decide locally how best to spend it on the specific pressures they face in their local area.”
Just in time for the council to give themselves a bonus as they’ve all been working so hard on our behalf.
We won’t see a penny of that spent here or helping out the vulnerable.
Maybe we should all, sign on and apply for social housing that way we’ll be able to afford sky, mobile phones, game stations and enough weed to smoke ourselves through this troublesome time.
Simple just refuse to pay the council tax, until we get a fair system, as all those in council housing will have their rent paid, council tax subsidises, another grand a year in child tax credits, child allowance, etc. Whereas those working get nothing.
The only way we can show our disgust is to refuse to pay council tax, a letter, complaint etc will do NOTHING.
Or they could suspend council tax for a couple of months and add it onto February/March next year to help those of us not earning at the moment. But oh no this pandemic is no excuse not to pay your council tax! You’re right the hard working people won’t benefit.
Quote from the Local Government Association Chairman…
“It is good that councils will be able to decide locally how best to spend it on the specific pressures they face in their local area.”
Just what the good old IoW Council need!
More profligate expenditure on totally useless (to the IoW Taxpayer that is) projects no doubt.
I still do not understand how in the last two years monies from Central Government and a specific part of the Council Tax increases has been “ring-fenced” for Adult Social care, and yet our council have been closing centres used by such people in need!