Autumn statement: George Osborne frees councils to build more homes
This article reports by far the best bit of the autumn statement in terms local government – bring on those powers to build more houses! It tells us:
Chancellor George Osborne has given councils more borrowing flexibilities to build more houses. The announcement came during this year’s autumn statement. Osborne will increase the housing revenue account borrowing limit by £300m to fund new housing.
Local government did not face further cuts in the chancellor’s statement but Osborne said that councils were expected to freeze council tax next year.