LABOUR'S pledge to abolish no fault evictions for renters will help cash-starved  councils, according to party leader Sir Keir Starmer.

The man who wants to be the next Prime Minister was on the campaign trail in Halesowen to rally supporters on June 13, the day Labour launched its manifesto.

Sir Keir brought his battle bus to the Yeltz Bar along with a promise to do more to help council’s like Dudley Council which has seen millions slashed from Westminster government grants.

Sir Keir told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “One of the first things we need to do is look at the settlement for our local authorities because they have been starved of cash, they have not been able to use the cash they’ve got effectively and many of them are struggling.

“I know that very many voters and residents will be looking at their councils and be very worried about public services.

“We will get rid of no fault evictions because too many people who are losing their accommodation are then looking to the council to provide accommodation for them, that is a huge drag.”

The Labour leader added he is listening to local authorities who complain about not being able to plan their budgets because grant levels are set annually.

Sir Keir said: “One of the first things we can do is to move to longer-term settlements, almost all council leaders are saying to me the short term settlement means we can’t use the money we have got effectively – we can change that.”

For the last financial year Dudley Council’s income amounted to £308.8m, grants accounted for £77m of that amount. 

Labour claims over the last decade Dudley’s funding from central government has been cut by more than £100m.

In their 2024 manifesto, the Conservatives have pledged to extend the settlement period for social care funding, provide 105 towns with a £20m endowment fund, change planning laws to help town centre regeneration and provide extra cash to councils for local growth and investment.

The Tories also aim to extend local devolution by 2030.