Councils Overpaid By £36 Million In ‘Historic’ Government Error

Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid has revealed his department made “an historic error” in overpaying councils by £36 million.The error relates to the business rates pilot scheme and impacts 27 councils and the Greater London Authority.Mr Javid, in a statement to the Commons, said he has instructed officials not to seek to recover the money in light of the “extraordinary circumstance”.Shadow local government secretary Andrew Gwynne described the incident as an &