Council given additional £3.1million to deal with cost of Covid-19 crisis

In total, since the pandemic began, Doncaster Council has now received an additional £21.8 million in order to help the council respond to the pandemic.

The Government also say councils will also receive a new scheme to help councils recover lost income, including from car parks and museums, which have been shut during the lockdown.

Where losses are more than five per cent of a council’s planned income from sales, fees and charges, the Government will cover them for 75 pence in every pound lost.

The latest announcement is from a broader £500 million relief package to councils across England.

DMBC bosses have previously said more help is needed and Government needed to take into account lost earnings through the collection of council tax, business rates and other income streams usually brought in during normal circumstances.

Conservative MP for Don Valley, Nick Fletcher, said: “The staff at Doncaster Council have played a heroic role in coordinating the local response to Coronavirus and I’m sure everyone in our community will join me in thanking them for everything they’ve done under extraordinary circumstances.

“Our Conservative government said at the beginning of this crisis that they would stand behind our councils and I’m delighted that they have done, protecting local services and ensuring councils come through this difficult period with stable finances.

“This additional £3,120,610 shows they’ve continued to listen to local concerns and will protect local services in Don Valley on which we all rely.”

Debbie Hogg, director of corporate resources at DMBC, said: “Doncaster has received £3.1m of the additional resources made available nationally of around £500.

“We are pleased that the government has recognised the additional financial pressures placed on councils by responding to the COVID pandemic.

“It’s too early to estimate the level of relief in relation to the loss of income concerning fees and charges.

“We welcome any measures being offered by the government to support our longer financial planning and to address the underlying financial pressures as part of the Autumn Settlement.”

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