Recommendation 3

It is clear from our evidence that the current funding structures for local government and combined authorities reflects the instinct in Whitehall to maintain control of the levers of power and the purse strings. It is beyond the scope of this inquiry to make detailed recommendations on reforms to the funding structures for local government and combined authorities, however, it is clear to us that reforms are needed. In response to this report, the Government should make a clear commitment to put an end to the ubiquitous system of bidding for pots of money that appear to us to be wasteful of resources that could be deployed more effectively at all levels. In addition, the Government should provide the Committee with the information that the Secretary of State committed to provide to us in March of this year.