Councils in England are to receive an extra £600 million in funding amid warnings they are facing effective bankruptcy.
Last month, plans were announced for a £64bn package for local councils in the next financial year but council leaders say that the settlement was insufficient.
Analysis from the Guardian shows that between 2010 and 2023, spending on cultural services was cut by 43 percent, roads and transport by 40 percent, housing by 35 percent and on planning and development by a third. More cuts are to be put in place this year.
Leader of the Kent Conservative group, councillor Adrian Gulvin gave his view on the impact for local councils. “The rate of inflation that occurred has been a lot higher than the uplifted sums they have given us over the last few years, and the two areas of extreme pressure is children’s social services and adult care“.
Roger Gough (GOFF), the Conservative leader of Kent County council, has warned Rishi Sunak about the government “sleepwalking into financial disaster” amid dramatically escalating pressure on local authorities.
Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of the Local Government Information Unit says that minimal funding from the government is stretching local councils to breaking point.
“It directly affects the amount and the quality of the services that the councils can provide. Two-thirds of their cash is going on them vital services, services which are not optional extras, they are literally matters of life and death“.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities were unable to provide any comments.
