Local Government Finance: Woking
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2024 to Question 18951 on Local Government Finance, whether the debt of Woking Borough Council will be redistributed to a new unitary local authority covering Woking.
Answered by Jim McMahon
The English Devolution White Paper published on 16 December announced that the Government will facilitate local government reorganisation for two-tier areas and for unitary councils where there is evidence of failure, or where their size or boundaries may be hindering their ability to deliver sustainable and high-quality public services.
Previous Secretaries of State used statutory powers to intervene in a small number of councils failing their Best Value Duty partly associated with high levels of unsustainable debt. We will work with local leaders to explore how best to support local government reorganisation where there has been failure. We will continue to work with Best Value Commissioners in these councils to support the councils’ financial recovery.
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