The new burdens placed on local authorities due to the reform of the Care Act should be properly identified and assessed, according to a new report from a parliamentary watchdog.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called on the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to take account of all additional cost pressures and demands facing councils to ensure they have sufficient resources to meet their statutory duties.
The committee said it was ‘concerned’ the new burdens doctrine did not ‘guarantee funding for significant new costs’.
PAC chair Meg Hillier MP said: ‘Local government is taking on more and more responsibilities from central government, but the money does not always follow.
‘The concept of new burdens is simple enough yet the Government’s definition of these burdens fails to reflect reality.
A DCLG spokesman said: 'We are committed to updating the new burdens guidance by next spring and will be working with government departments to make sure they are aware of new requirements.’
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