Our Chair responds to the Spending Review

Posted on June 11, 2025

In a statement, Cllr Sir Stephen Houghton, Chair of the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (SIGOMA) said:

"It is very welcome to see the government’s focus on the most in need communities, including support for 350 of the most deprived neighbourhoods, reforming the Green Book to invest more in towns and communities outside London and the South East and the significant commitment to affordable housing.

We await detail on funding for the schemes that are replacing the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The successor schemes must deliver at least an equal level of funding that is currently received. 

Funding will still be very tight for councils and our members. The system remains under pressure, and we will be working closely with the government as they bring forward more substantial reforms to the local government finance system in time for the multi-year settlement in 2026/27. It is essential that these reforms build on the previous settlement’s focus on need and deliver a fairer funding system that provides a significant increase in funding for the most deprived communities."