Government agrees that a stable funding environment ensures local authorities can plan effectively and recognises that multi-year settlements provide certainty. The approach to the next settlement will be informed by the ongoing Spending Review, which will be an opportunity to consider local government’s funding needs in the round. We appreciate that multiple, competitive funds bring challenges to local councils. We are exploring opportunities to simplify the system, while recognising that there will be cases where competitions or ringfences are helpful in ensuring value for money.