We represent the interests of the twenty two local authorities in Wales and the four police authorities, three fire and rescue authorities and three national park authorities are associate members. All these bodies deploy financial, technological and human resources in delivering the wide range of statutory and discretionary services they provide to citizens across the country. These resources are dependent on the taxes and charges paid by citizens and their availability and use is fundamental to the quality and scope of services citizens receive. As such the resource issues affecting local government, police authorities, fire and rescue authorities and the national parks are relevant to us all. These issues become come even more to the fore in the current context of tightening public finances especially when set against increasing demand for high quality public services. This section of the WLGA website is concerned with the financial and technological resources employed by the bodies we represent.
Local government in Wales receives the bulk of its funding in the form of grants from the Welsh Assembly Government. The Welsh Assembly Government in turn receives its funding from HM Treasury (www.hm-treasury.gov.uk). In the main changes to the Welsh Assembly Government Budget are determined using a population based funding formula called the Barnett formula. Since 1997, these changes have been made every other year in UK Government Spending Reviews which set firm and fixed three-year Departmental Expenditure Limits. Local authorities also receive income from Non Domestic Rates, which are a national tax which is collected locally. Changes to the quantum of local government grant funding are made annually as part of the Welsh Assembly Government Resource Allocation Exercise. The distribution of the core grant between authorities is determined using a population based funding formula (Distribution Sub Group).
Local government also receives some of its income locally from Council Tax as well as from charges for some services and income from investments.
A large part of our work involves clarifying and highlighting the resource implications of new policies, as well as lobbying for changes to the system and putting forward the case for the bodies we represent in consultations and budget negotiations with the Welsh Assembly Government.
Our work also involves supporting the improvement agenda, not least through the four Regional Partnership Boards which promoting collaboration, efficiency and improvement, as well as Regional Procurement Consortia, which promote more strategic and effective procurement across local government. We also promote E-government as an integral part of local government modernisation and a drive towards providing more efficient and effective delivery of local services. We also actively lobby for the provision of broadband throughout Wales.
In fulfilling our role we work closely with a range of professional groups across local government, such as Society of Welsh Treasurers and the Association of Directors of Social Services
For more information contact: Vanessa Phillips