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<p>On 2 July the Secretary of State announced a further £500 million in unringfenced
grant funding for councils to meet pressures they are facing in response to the coronavirus
pandemic. Our unprecedented package includes £4.3 billion for councils’ spending pressures,
comprising £3.7 billion of unringfenced grants and the £600 million Infection Control
Fund, bringing the total amount of additional support for councils, businesses and
local communities to almost £28 billion.</p><p>The Government is also meeting 75p
in the pound of lost income such as parking fees and museum entry charges, where that
loss of income is more than a council could have been expected to plan for. For many
councils, this will be a significant portion of the income lost as result of the pandemic,
particularly where these income streams make up a disproportionate portion of income
relative to the size of the authority.</p><p>I regularly speak to the District Councils’
Network and individual councils. I can offer the reassurance that our aim is that
all councils will be funded for their Covid-19 pressures and placed on a stable financial
footing.</p>
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