Maria Miller has welcomed the announcement that Basingstoke and Deane council will receive a further £257,207 from the Government to help pay for its response to coronavirus, as part of a £500 million package of additional support to councils in England.

Commenting on the announcement, Maria Miller said, “Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council have played a heroic role coordinating the local response to the pandemic. I’m very grateful for everything they’ve done under extraordinary circumstances for our community, and I’m pleased that the Government’s additional funding reflects the crucial role they are playing in combatting this virus”.

The extra £500 million – which brings support for the pressures that councils are facing to £4.3billion – will ensure councils in England can continue to deliver crucial frontline services, support those most in need and continue delivering for residents.

The Government’s funding has not been ringfenced, recognising that councils are best placed to decide how to meet pressures in their local area.

In total, since the pandemic began, Basingstoke and Deane will have now received an additional £2,055,371 funding. This additional support forms part of a comprehensive package of Government support to help councils respond to the pandemic, including an unprecedented new scheme to help councils recover lost income, including from car parks and museums, which have been shut during the lockdown.

In addition, the Government has announced a co-payment scheme that will compensate councils for irrecoverable income losses from sales, fees and charges.

To enable councils to get on the front foot and build much-needed breathing space into their budgets, the Government is also allowing them to spread their tax deficits over three years rather than the usual one. This will allow authorities to pay deficits off in a reasonable timescale, limiting their cashflow pressures.