House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10 Oct 2005 (pt 100)

10 Oct 2005 : Column 370W—continued

Local Government Employees (Political Activities)

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Government expects to publish its conclusions on the consultation on the code of conduct for local government employees and restrictions on political activities. [15241]

Mr. Woolas: We are considering the response to this consultation as part of a wider review, including the Standards Board's own review of the code of conduct for members, of the conduct regime for local government. We plan to announce our conclusions on the way forward later this autumn, once we have received the Board's recommendations for the members' code.

Local Government Finance

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on what wage data and calculations the area cost adjustments are based. [15663]

10 Oct 2005 : Column 371W

Mr. Woolas: The area cost adjustment (ACA) is the element of the funding formula that reflects variation in the cost of service delivery between local authorities. It has two components. The labour cost adjustment is the largest component and takes account of variation in local authority pay costs. The rates cost adjustment is a much smaller and accounts for variations in business rates costs. In 2005–06 it was calculated using the following data:

New earnings survey data from 2001, 2002 and 2003;

Base estimate returns 1992–93;

Rateable values and hereditaments at 1 August 2004;

Estimates of office hereditaments and floorspace 2003;

The 2005 revaluation of local authority schools undertaken by the valuation office;

Gross non-domestic rates and increases and reductions in rate yields, as supplied by authorities to the First Secretary of State on the national non-domestic rates provisional contributions return 2004–05, and the total resident population as at 30 June 2003.

Detailed information on the calculation of the ACA is available on the ODPM website at:

http://www.loca!.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0506/acamethQ56s.pdf

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently consulting on options to change the local government funding formula, including options for changing the ACA calculation. The consultation document is available at on the ODPM website at:

http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0607/consult/index.htm

The consultation ends on 10 October 2005.

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2005, Official Report, column 315W, on local government finance, what the recommended levels of cash reserves were for each London borough from the district auditor. [16341]

Mr. Woolas: No information is collected centrally on any views expressed.

A local authority external auditor may express views on the reserves held by the authority, but it is for the authority to decide on the level of reserves it should budget for. It is not the role of the auditor to recommend a level.

Any view expressed by the external auditor of a London borough on the adequacy of the council's cash reserves would be a matter between the council and the auditor.

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much in (a) revenue support grant and (b) specific grants in (i) cash and (ii) real terms has been provided to the City of York in each year since 1997–98. [16348]

Mr. Woolas: The amounts of (a) revenue support grant and (b) specific grants inside Aggregate External Finance (AEF) City of York has received in cash and real terms each year since 1997–98 are shown respectively in Table A and Table B.

10 Oct 2005 : Column 372W

Table A: Revenue support grant in cash and real terms provided to the City of York in each year since 1997–98 £000

Cash Real terms
(2004–05 prices)

1997–98 38,597 45,338

1998–99 39,274 44,966

1999–2000 39,478 44,328

2000–01 36,900 40,898

2001–02 40,309 43,599

2002–03 35,890 37,624

2003–04 45,361 46,325

2004–05 51,761 51,761

Source:
ODPM Revenue Outturn (RO) data, ONS GDP deflators

Table B: Specific grant inside Aggregate External Finance (AEF) in cash and real terms provided to the City of York in each year since 1997–98 £000

Cash Real terms
(2004–05 prices)

1997–98 3,128 3,674

1998–99 4,113 4,709

1999–2000 6,185 6,945

2000–01 10,977 12,166

2001–02 15,044 16,272

2002–03 21,172 22,195

2003–04 31,192 31,855

2004–05 31,743 31,743

Source:
ODPM Revenue Outturn (RO) data, ONS GDP deflators

	Cash	Real terms (2004–05 prices)
1997–98	38,597	45,338
1998–99	39,274	44,966
1999–2000	39,478	44,328
2000–01	36,900	40,898
2001–02	40,309	43,599
2002–03	35,890	37,624
2003–04	45,361	46,325
2004–05	51,761	51,761

	Cash	Real terms (2004–05 prices)
1997–98	3,128	3,674
1998–99	4,113	4,709
1999–2000	6,185	6,945
2000–01	10,977	12,166
2001–02	15,044	16,272
2002–03	21,172	22,195
2003–04	31,192	31,855
2004–05	31,743	31,743

Comparisons across years may not be valid due to changing local authority responsibilities. Additionally, revenue support grant can go up or down from one year to the next as a result of decreases and increases in the amount of redistributed business rates received by the authority.

Specific grants inside AEF are those revenue grantspaid for councils' core services (such as waste collection), excluding funding for local authorities' housing management.

The real terms figures have been revalued for previous years at 2004–05 prices using the latest GDP deflators.

Mr. Carswell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding local authorities in England received from central Government during the last financial year for which figures are available. [16597]

Mr. Woolas: In 2004–05 local government received £60,357 million of central Government funding.

Notes:

Central Government funding is defined here as the sum of specific grants inside Aggregate external finance (AEF), formula grant (revenue support grant, redistributed business rates and police grant) and Greater London authority (GLA) grant.

Source:

Local authority revenue expenditure and financing England: Provisional outturn 2004–05" found at: http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/fmance/stats/natstats.htm#rev

Local Government Ombudsman

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how many complaints the local government ombudsman has received about each London borough in each year since 1997; [15567]

10 Oct 2005 : Column 373W

(2) how many cases the local government ombudsman received relating to each London borough in each year since 1997 [15591]

Mr. Woolas: The local government ombudsman does not make a distinction between complaints received about and complaints relating to local authorities.

Information held by the ombudsman on the number of complaints relating to each London borough since 1997 is shown on the following tables:

1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01

Barking and Dagenham 78 83 98 63

Barnet 76 101 126 121

Bexley 25 36 36 46

Brent 211 276 337 289

Bromley 46 63 82 84

Camden 175 175 149 157

City of London 7 11 7 7

Croydon 106 118 137 182

Ealing 147 222 257 308

Enfield 73 108 107 92

Greenwich 98 96 103 134

Hackney 251 285 465 961

Hammersmith and Fulham 71 101 87 100

Haringey 164 179 170 155

Harrow 35 50 43 52

Havering 51 56 41 50

Hillingdon 48 57 62 64

Hounslow 123 110 128 139

Islington 243 350 417 667

Kensington and Chelsea 66 64 56 68

Kingston upon Thames 34 47 49 38

Lambeth 649 629 1,061 1,202

Lewisham 218 204 241 223

Merton 49 51 58 59

Newham 234 204 233 263

Redbridge 63 66 85 61

Richmond upon Thames 50 72 51 50

Southwark 202 308 344 388

Sutton 37 54 59 54

Tower Hamlets 186 225 167 177

Waltham Forest 110 153 169 183

Wandsworth 129 155 158 149

Westminster 158 110 178 322

2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05

Barking and Dagenham 78 95 133 103

Barnet 98 111 131 155

Bexley 37 31 43 31

Brent 192 204 201 174

Bromley 118 115 124 110

Camden 191 176 160 258

City of London 8 12 9 14

Croydon 136 114 127 135

Ealing 336 311 347 254

Enfield 109 95 103 114

Greenwich 88 73 102 102

Hackney 650 431 395 412

Hammersmith and Fulham 82 101 107 90

Haringey 187 199 203 154

Harrow 59 52 38 61

Havering 66 65 72 85

Hillingdon 69 67 58 60

Hounslow 128 157 160 169

Islington 433 377 316 222

Kensington and Chelsea 79 48 76 45

Kingston upon Thames 36 42 42 35

Lambeth 1,050 606 647 570

Lewisham 228 252 240 249

Merton 60 61 97 76

Newham 223 187 176 165

Redbridge 74 65 70 83

Richmond upon Thames 49 50 47 50

Southwark 374 334 296 309

Sutton 63 56 63 66

Tower Hamlets 170 182 191 175

Waltham Forest 154 144 172 179

Wandsworth 150 138 102 110

Westminster 251 196 273 355

10 Oct 2005 : Column 374W

	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01
Barking and Dagenham	78	83	98	63
Barnet	76	101	126	121
Bexley	25	36	36	46
Brent	211	276	337	289
Bromley	46	63	82	84
Camden	175	175	149	157
City of London	7	11	7	7
Croydon	106	118	137	182
Ealing	147	222	257	308
Enfield	73	108	107	92
Greenwich	98	96	103	134
Hackney	251	285	465	961
Hammersmith and Fulham	71	101	87	100
Haringey	164	179	170	155
Harrow	35	50	43	52
Havering	51	56	41	50
Hillingdon	48	57	62	64
Hounslow	123	110	128	139
Islington	243	350	417	667
Kensington and Chelsea	66	64	56	68
Kingston upon Thames	34	47	49	38
Lambeth	649	629	1,061	1,202
Lewisham	218	204	241	223
Merton	49	51	58	59
Newham	234	204	233	263
Redbridge	63	66	85	61
Richmond upon Thames	50	72	51	50
Southwark	202	308	344	388
Sutton	37	54	59	54
Tower Hamlets	186	225	167	177
Waltham Forest	110	153	169	183
Wandsworth	129	155	158	149
Westminster	158	110	178	322

	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05
Barking and Dagenham	78	95	133	103
Barnet	98	111	131	155
Bexley	37	31	43	31
Brent	192	204	201	174
Bromley	118	115	124	110
Camden	191	176	160	258
City of London	8	12	9	14
Croydon	136	114	127	135
Ealing	336	311	347	254
Enfield	109	95	103	114
Greenwich	88	73	102	102
Hackney	650	431	395	412
Hammersmith and Fulham	82	101	107	90
Haringey	187	199	203	154
Harrow	59	52	38	61
Havering	66	65	72	85
Hillingdon	69	67	58	60
Hounslow	128	157	160	169
Islington	433	377	316	222
Kensington and Chelsea	79	48	76	45
Kingston upon Thames	36	42	42	35
Lambeth	1,050	606	647	570
Lewisham	228	252	240	249
Merton	60	61	97	76
Newham	223	187	176	165
Redbridge	74	65	70	83
Richmond upon Thames	49	50	47	50
Southwark	374	334	296	309
Sutton	63	56	63	66
Tower Hamlets	170	182	191	175
Waltham Forest	154	144	172	179
Wandsworth	150	138	102	110
Westminster	251	196	273	355

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many complaints he has received regarding the operation of the current local government ombudsman. [16437]

Mr. Woolas: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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