The government is strengthening its data collections on local authority risk and reserves to improve its oversight of local government and collecting more detailed information from local authorities on the different types and purposes of earmarked reserves.

The department recognises the pressures on local services and the importance of a sustainable funding platform, and the spending review provides an estimated average annual increase in Core Spending Power of 3% in real terms each year. They also wrote to the Committee in April alongside this Treasury Minute with more detailed assurance of the impact of the Spending Review on services.

The government will update Statutory Guidance on Local Government Investments in 2022, having worked with CIPFA to update the Prudential Code. They consulted on strengthening the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) duty and plan to publish its response in spring 2022.

The government intends to update its Statutory Guidance on Local Government Investments in 2022 and is consulting on strengthening the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) duty, with plans to publish a response in Spring 2022, addressing the use of asset sales proceeds and MRP on debt used to purchase commercial assets.

The government agrees with the recommendation and states it remains committed to strengthening the local audit market, acting as interim system leader, securing agreement with key partners, and that PSAA announced that 99% of eligible local bodies have joined its national scheme for auditor appointments.

The government agrees with the recommendation, is strengthening its data collections on local authority risk and reserves, and is bringing together data with intelligence from ongoing engagement with the sector to provide an overall understanding of the risks affecting the sector.

The government agrees with the recommendation and states they have concluded a comprehensive review of local authority expenditure and borrowing statistics, and have taken specific action to improve data collection on capital borrowing and investments, including regular information on the performance of local authority investments.

The government agrees with the recommendation and states they have concluded a comprehensive review of local authority expenditure and borrowing statistics, and have taken specific action to improve data collection on capital borrowing and investments, including regular information on the performance of local authority investments.

The government published its policy paper on 28 July 2021, setting out measures to ensure local authority investment decisions comply with the Prudential Framework. It worked with CIPFA on the updated Prudential Code. The government intends to update its own Statutory Guidance on Local Government Investments in 2022. The department plans to publish its response in spring 2022 on the strengthening of compliance with the MRP duty.

The government agrees with the recommendation and states that the 2021 Spending Review settlement provides local authorities with an estimated average annual increase in Core Spending Power of 3% in real terms, including investment in Adult Social Care reform.

The government states that the 2021 Spending Review settlement provides local authorities with an estimated average annual increase in Core Spending Power of 3% in real terms and that it continues to work closely with the local government sector.

The government recognises the pressures on local services and the importance of a sustainable funding platform. The 2021 Spending Review settlement provides local authorities with an estimated average annual increase in Core Spending Power of 3% in real terms each year of the Spending Review period, including investment in Adult Social Care reform. The department wrote to the Committee in April alongside this Treasury Minute with more detailed assurance of the impact of the Spending Review on services and its plans to work with other government departments to keep this under review.