Latest NAVCA news and updates

Local Government Finance Reform

The Government is reviewing how local authorities are funded. It is doing this in two parts: part one is the proposal that local councils should retain a greater proportion of the National Non-Domestic Rates, commonly known as business rates; part two relates to proposals on the Community Budget. The proposals are important to the local voluntary and community sector because:

• they are likely to affect a significant proportion of local voluntary and community organisations funded  directly or indirectly by local government;
• changes to local government finances are likely to have a direct impact on local services and therefore on local  communities;
• any potential change in the funding of public services is likely to affect the demand on services provided by local  voluntary organisations;
• local authorities are key partners for the sector and therefore any significant change for the local authorities is  bound to have some impact on the sector.

NAVCA’s initial  briefing outlines the Government’s proposals for business rates retention, the  changes that will result and considers the issues of interest to NAVCA  members.

For more information read the Local Government Resource Review: Proposals for Business Rates Retention - Consultation and theirplain English Guide.