Ministers plan to push cash-strapped English councils to sell assets
by Richard Partington Economics correspondent from World news | The Guardian on (#6J84G)
Exclusive: Critics warn of a fire sale' of public assets under plans being explored by levelling up department
Councils in England are to be encouraged to sell publicly owned buildings and other assets worth up to 23bn under plans being explored by ministers to plug budget shortfalls amid the crisis in local government.
Under plans being examined by Michael Gove's Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, councils would be given greater flexibility to use money raised from asset disposals to meet their budget pressures.
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