Melton Council handed £35K to deal with Brexit issues

The Brexit cash will be spread over the next two financial years and is part of a national funding package worth more than £56.5 million announced by James Brokenshire MP, secretary of state for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

A Melton Borough Council spokesman told the Melton Times: “We are working with our partners to continue to assess risks to make sure we can manage any impact on our services and are carefully monitoring the situation as it evolves.

“This additional funding, whilst modest, will assist us in preparing and we’ll be giving immediate consideration to how it can be spent most effectively.”

Leicestershire County Council has received £175,000 funding to help it cope with changes when the UK leaves at the end of next month.

Mr Brokenshire said: “Local government will play a critical role in making a success of Brexit at the local level.

“My department is committed to ensuring councils have the support and the funding they need to prepare for an orderly exit from the EU and do appropriate contingency planning.

“This funding will help councils to adapt to changes caused by Brexit, while still protecting vital local services.”

A further £10million will be dished out as required, he said, during the financial year 2019-20, to respond to ‘specific local costs that may only become evident in the months after we exit the EU’.