South East Councils representation to HM Treasury’s Spending Review 2021
Summary
Our representation to Spending Review 2021 (SR21) highlights SEC asks regarding financing of local government, Health and Social Care, Business Rates, Skills investment, the New Homes Bonus and Climate Change.
This contribution to SR21 highlights how the South East, given the appropriate level of support from government, can continue to build on its successes, as well as supporting the United Kingdom’s economy going forward, especially as the country embarks on its road to recovery following the Covid19 pandemic.
As a net contributor to the UK economy and a premier global trading hub, the South East region has entered a new decade that began with the UK forging new trading relationships across the globe, as a newly independent trading nation. This decade is expected to end with the population of the South East forecast to be in excess of 10 million people.
To secure economic growth and prosperity, local authorities need to be empowered with greater ability to meet challenges arising from Covid-19 recovery, new relations with the European Union and Climate Change. Therefore, we advocate that the South East should be able to retain more regional revenues and transferring more powers and responsibilities from Whitehall to the region is vital.
SEC also seeks to collaborate with others to enable existing wider regional strengths and harness the untapped regional potential – creating a greater South East to support a thriving UK – notably through our work with the wider South East3, including London Councils, Greater London Authority, and the East of England Local Government Association.
Read SEC SR21 submission here
