Scarborough Council given £1m to ease coronavirus pressures: 'We will need more' says deputy leader

The funding from a £1.6 billion handout has been distributed to councils across England based on their population and the latest assessment of the challenges they are facing.

Councils have been tasked with work that includes getting rough sleepers off the streets, supporting clinically vulnerable people and providing assistance to the public health workforce.

Scarborough Council has been given £1,081,107 from the new allocation after getting just £75,000 last month in the first round of funding.

Scarborough Council’s deputy leader Cllr Liz Colling said last week that the Government had to ensure local authorities got their “fair share” to cover the costs they were meeting.

Speaking after the funding allocations were revealed last night, Cllr Colling said that additional support would be needed in the future, saying that the authority had earmarked £500,000 just to meet the requirements around homelessness imposed by the government.

She said: “It’s very welcome considering we only got £75,000 from the last funding allocation so the government seems to be recognising the magnitude of the situation. So we are pleased but we will need more.”

As well as outgoings, councils across England have also seen their revenue streams slashed. This includes money from car parking, business rates and council tax.

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire County Council has been given just under £11 million in the latest round of funding, on top of the £15 million previously allocated.

In announcing the allocations Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said: “Councils are playing a central role in our national fight against coronavirus and the government continues to back them at this challenging time.

“That’s why I announced an extra £3.2 billion of support for councils to help them to continue their extraordinary efforts.

“Today I’m setting out how the latest £1.6 billion of this will be allocated to councils in the fairest way possible, recognising the latest and best assessment of the pressures they face.

“We are backing local district councils and the vast majority will receive at least £1m in additional funding.”

The government has confirmed the funding will not be ringfenced, recognising councils are best placed to decide how to meet pressures in their local area.

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