A GOVERNMENT trial to allow local councils to keep more of the business rates they collect will hand a £4million boost to reduce demand on social care, county council chiefs have revealed.
Cash-strapped Worcestershire County Council bosses have welcomed the announcement from James Brokenshire MP, the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government, their bid for a one year 75 per cent Business Rates pilot was given the go ahead.
The pilot means that more money from business rates gathered in Worcestershire next year will remain in the county and working together with Worcestershire’s six district councils, the County Council will invest the extra funds from the pilot into services that prevent or reduce the cost of social care.
Council leader Coun Simon Geraghty, said: “This announcement is really good news. It will mean that more of the business rates that we collect in Worcestershire will stay in Worcestershire for our residents.
“These are challenging financial times for all councils who have responsibility for caring for the most vulnerable in our society and working with our district council colleagues we will now be able to invest millions of pounds more into social care.
“We plan to invest this additional money into limiting increases in social care costs in Worcestershire. It will help us to build stronger connected communities that foster a responsibility to the most vulnerable in our society.”
Worcestershire is one of 15 areas nationwide to take part in the trial as part of a Government review into how local councils are funded.
