Chancellor Sajid Javid has confirmed that the fast-tracked Spending Round announced earlier this month will be delivered one week from today.
The Government said the Spending Round will include funding for health, schools, and the police, 'while still meeting the existing fiscal rules'.
The Spending Round, which will be delivered to Parliament on 4 September, will set departmental budgets for 2020/21.
It will be followed next year by a full multi-year Spending Review.
Mr Javid said on the 9 August that a fast-tracked Spending Round would ensure departments and devolved administrations had the financial certainty needed to deliver on the Prime Minister’s recent spending promises.
He also added that it was necessary to ‘clear the ground ahead of Brexit’.
Responding to the earlier announcement, Cllr James Jamieson, chairman of the Local Government Association said that councils ‘urgently need some certainty’ about funding.
‘The Spending Round needs to make securing the sustainability of local services the top priority,’ said Cllr Jamieson.
‘It needs to confirm the continuation of key funding streams such as the Better Care Fund, and guarantee councils will have enough money to meet the growing demand pressures they face next year.’
The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, dismissed the announcement.
‘Nobody is fooled into believing that this is a proper and normal Spending Review. It’s a one off pre-election panic driven stunt budget,’ he said.
‘As each spending announcement is dribbled out it is exposed as inadequate and whole areas of spending needs like local councils and addressing child poverty are ignored. This is not serious Government.’
