Wolverhampton North East MP Jane Stevenson has welcomed news that the city has received almost £16.7 million in additional funding from Government to support communities and deliver vital services during the coronavirus outbreak.
The news comes as the Government confirmed that Wolverhampton Council has been allocated £7.3 million in the second tranche of Covid-19 emergency funding, on top of the £9.4 million it received in the first tranche.
Across the country, total additional funding to councils through this crisis is now over £3.2 billion, an unprecedented level of extra financial support in recent times.
The additional support will mean Wolverhampton Council can continue to provide essential services, such as adult social care and children’s services, while also providing support to people impacted by the coronavirus. This includes delivering emergency food parcels to thousands of residents, establishing shielding programmes for clinically extremely vulnerable people and ensuring there is additional support available across a range of other vital council services.
The additional funding builds on other Government measures, including allowing councils to defer the payment of business rates to central government and providing them with a combined £850 million in up front social care grants, that will help with their cash flows so they can continue to deliver vital services.
Jane said: “I’m really pleased that Wolverhampton will receive an additional £7.3 million from the Government to help ensure essential services are not impacted by the extra demands placed on councils by coronavirus. This means that since the pandemic started, the council will have received an extra £16.7 million.
“This is part of the additional £3.2 billion the Government is providing to councils across England to ensure they have the resources they need during this difficult time.
“The city council is doing a tremendous job under extraordinary circumstances, helping to ensure the vulnerable are protected and supported. I will continue to champion everything they are doing for our community and work closely with ministers to ensure they always have the resources they need to carry out their important work.”
Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said: “Councils are playing a central role in our national fight against coronavirus and the Government continues to back them at this challenging time.
“That’s why I announced an extra £3.2 billion of support for councils to help them to continue their extraordinary efforts.
“I have set out how the latest £1.6 billion of this will be allocated to councils in the fairest way possible, recognising the latest and best assessment of the pressures they face.
“We are backing local councils and a clear majority will receive at least £1m in additional funding.”
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