Several outlets have claimed that Angela Rayner, Secretary of State has provided funding directly to partisan organisations via the Community Recovery Fund. This is not correct.
The facts
- The Community Recovery Fund was established by MHCLG to help places recover from the violent disorder of summer 2024. Funding was provided to councils so they could respond to local needs and support recovery in affected communities.
- Councils were responsible for local spending decisions. Birmingham City Council and Blackpool Council chose to award £13,000 and £9,000 respectively to the Ella Baker School of Organising to deliver community training.
- Public money cannot be used for party-political activity. Councils must act in a politically impartial manner and comply with their legal duties, including the requirements of section 2 of the Local Government Act 1986.
- Councils must ensure grants are used properly. As recipients of Community Recovery Fund money, local authorities are responsible for making sure spending is consistent with the grant conditions and their wider statutory responsibilities.
- There are safeguards where money has been mis-spent. Powers are available to recoup funding where it is found not to have been used in line with the relevant requirements.
Put simply, councils are not permitted to spend taxpayers’ money on partisan issues or party-political activity. They are responsible for ensuring public funding is used appropriately, and action can be taken where spending is found to have breached the relevant requirements. Any suggestion that this was a decision taken by the Secretary of State is not true.
An MHCLG spokesperson said:
“Councils are not permitted to use taxpayers’ money to fund partisan issues or party-political activity.
“Councils must make sure money is spent in line with their responsibilities, and we have powers in place to recoup money if it is found to have been mis-spent.”
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