Local Government Finance

The hon. Gentleman is very astute and very well informed about financial matters, so he knows that the formula is applied consistently across the whole of England. When he compares Sedgefield and Sevenoaks, he will surely recognise that Sevenoaks district council's ability to raise funds from its council tax base is entirely different from that of Sedgefield. He will also recognise that the needs element and the resource element, in which I have announced increases today, are necessary, particularly to ensure proper fairness in the system.