Council neighbours' mixed fortunes in funding change

A government shake-up of council funding has delivered starkly different fortunes for neighbouring councils in Berkshire.

By 2029, Slough Borough Council will be able to spend 47% more on services, according to the government's provisional finance settlement.

A quarter of the £224m "core spending power" (CSP) will come from the government's revenue support grant (RSG).

By contrast, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) will have 17% more to spend, with RSG forming 1% of the total.

The Fair Funding Review 2.0 reforms were introduced to benefit deprived areas.

In November, Local Government Minister Alison McGovern said: "Poorer local authorities that have been unable to generate as much funding through local tax will finally receive the funding they deserve."

She said CSP - a combination of business rates, council tax revenue and government grants - would rise in annual increments for the most deprived authorities.

Slough's CSP increase of 47% by 2028/9 is one of the highest in England, according to the finance settlement published in December.

On Facebook, the town's Labour MP Tan Dhesi said it would ensure residents "receive the best possible local services".

Slough's Revenue Support Grant will be £57m by 2028/9, according to the provisional figures.

However, nearly all of Windsor and Maidenhead's £147m CSP could come from council tax in four years' time, the figures show.

The authority's council tax requirement is given as £142m, while its RSG is just £2m.

The Royal Borough, which has historically had a low council tax, is one of six councils being allowed to increase the rate by more than the 5% ceiling next year.

Previously, councillor Lynne Jones, in charge of finance, said: "It's already clear that RBWM is in a select group of councils that are worst hit by the changes to how government grant is distributed - with much of the grant funding we currently receive being redistributed to other areas."

Additional reporting by Elena Chiujdea, Local Democracy Reporting Service