Multi-million pound support package for Welsh councils

Welsh Ministers have announced a funding boost of more than £260 million for local councils in Wales to provide them with the certainty they need to plan for the remainder of the year.

Bringing the total amount of Welsh Government coronavirus support for local authorities to almost half a billion pounds, the funding will help cover increased costs, manage loss of income pressures, and will fund additional cleaning requirements for schools in response to the crisis.

With the possibility of further peaks during the autumn and winter months predicted, it is also hoped that the investment will provide local authorities with the confidence to prepare their budgets for a potential second wave.

Julie James, Minister for Housing and Local Government, said: “Our local authorities have done a fantastic job of rising to the challenges of Covid-19, but we recognise the financial impact this has had on them. We have been working closely with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) and local authority leaders to understand the pressures and challenges they are facing, and the support needed to continue delivering good quality, integrated public services to communities across Wales.”