£100m EZ funding, ANEC raises concerns, Public sector corruption, Welsh budget, Suffolk plan

Enterprise Zones bid for £100m extra
The government has allocated £100m of competitive bid funding for Enterprise Zones to finish infrastructure projects. Zones can submit one bid each for a share of the money with a deadline of November 18. According to the Department for Communities and Local Government figures show that Britain has become Europe’s top destination for foreign investment with zones such as the Sheffield City Region, Oxford Science Vale and Cheshire’s Daresbury becoming “cutting edge centres of research and development”.

North East loses £296 per household – ANEC
The Association of North East Councils (ANEC) has written to the government’s consultation on the local government finance settlement saying that the North East faces a disproportionately high share of national cuts. The loss of £296 per North East household compares to a national average of £233. The association wants government to allocate cuts as an equal percentage based on spending power and review the decision to fund New Homes Bonus by holding back local authority core funding.

‘Enabling environment for corruption’ in localgov – report
A report from Transparency International has labeled as “inconsistent” the government’s promotion of anti-corruption in the private sector compared with decentralisation in the public sector and the removal of the Audit Commission and Standards Board. “It is a concern that oversight roles will be undermined, and that the removal of national-level codes and the ability to observe and react to the problem at national level increases corruption risk,” said the report, Corruption in UK local government.

Welsh councils brace for budget
The Welsh government will publish its draft budget for 2014-15 next Tuesday. With local government and communities forming 35% of spend at the moment, councils are awaiting bad news. Wales’ local government minister Lesley Griffiths told the Welsh Local Government Association conference in June that councils in the country should expect an end to the relative protection they have enjoyed compared to English councils (which account for 25% of England’s budget).

Suffolk councils look to save £160m
Suffolk’s county council and seven district and borough authorities have met with police authorities to find ways to further joint working. The local authorities have to find £160m, with Ipswich Borough Council seeing a 49% reduction in grant funding over the next two financial years.