Fair Funding 2.0 "will help keep councils afloat", our Chair says

Posted on July 08, 2025

Following the publication of Fair Funding 2.0, our Chair spoke to the MJ about what the implications are for SIGOMA authorities:

"Cllr Stephen Houghton is chair of the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities, (SIGOMA). Speaking to The MJ, he says: ‘Many of the things we've been asking for during the last 14 years as key issues have finally been recognised. We haven't got everything we want, but we're very happy with the overall package.' 

SIGOMA has long argued the principle that grant funding ‘should go to where it's needed most and that is clearly being recognised here with the revised funding formula', Cllr Houghton adds. 

‘The grant should also take into account resource availability locally – what people call resource equalisation. That has been recognised as well, and in many ways, is just as important, if not more so than the funding formula.' 

His conclusion is ‘the Government has been listening to what we have been saying'. He emphasises that ministers have said there were no section 114 notices following the Recovery Grant, ‘as the Recovery Grant was recognising need'. 

He believes that not only will the fair funding reform ‘provide services to where they're needed most, it will help keep councils afloat'."

You can read the full article here.