A public sector fund run by fund manager CCLA has reached £1bn for the first time since its launch in 2011, due to the financial uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
The funding gap for local councils is estimated to be £1.4bn lower than previously forecast, according to research from the Local Government Association.
Business rates avoidance in England costs councils an estimated £250m each year as firms exploit loopholes to get out of payments, the Local Government Association has found.
