Whichever Government comes into power they will have a lot to think about in relation to local government finance. The first issue is when they can announce the provisional settlement and all the various grants which are essential to deliver much needed services.

Hopefully this and the final settlement can all be delivered in an orderly fashion so councils can consult and approve their budgets for 2020/21 by the legal requirement of 11^th March. Getting council tax bills out in good time is the first step to helping residents make their payments. Delays can be confusing, lead to arrears, increased collection activity and unnecessary stress.