Local Government Finance

Specifically, the decisions that I have announced this afternoon for fire and rescue authorities do meet one of the principal points that those authorities were making to me—that basing the formula on the most recent period was uncertain because it was untypical—so I trust that they will welcome my decision. In general terms, my colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government and I are ready to meet any local authority leader or any Member of this House who wishes to make representations between today's announcement and the close of the consultation period, which will be on 8 January.