Responding to today’s Autumn Statement, Cllr , Chair of the Local
Government Association, said:
“The evidence of the financial strain on councils has been
growing and it is hugely disappointing that today's Autumn
Statement has failed to provide funding needed to protect the
services the people in our communities rely on every day.
“We are pleased government has acted on our call to unfreeze
Local Housing Allowance rates, which is a positive step in
helping to support the most vulnerable in our society afford
rising rents. It is also good that the Government has
committed to ensuring councils will be able to set planning fees
to cover the full cost of processing some major applications
which will mean local taxpayers no longer have to foot the
bill.
“Supporting businesses, and easing the cost of
living for households is important, but not if our public
services continue to be chronically underfunded and unable to be
there to support people when they need them. Adult social
care remains in a precarious position, record numbers of
households are in temporary accommodation and there are now more
than 80,000 looked after children in England. The lack of
additional funding in today’s announcement risks councils'
ability to meet this spiralling demand, provide critical care and
support a healthy population with access to housing, training and
jobs.
“Councils have worked hard to find efficiencies and reduce costs,
but the easy savings have long since gone. It is wrong that our
residents now face further cuts to services as well as the
prospect of council tax rises next year, with councils having the
difficult choice about raising bills to bring in desperately
needed funding.
“Devolution gives local leaders greater freedom to take decisions
closest to the people they represent. Where they are supported by
all councils it is good to see new devolution deals announced
today, including to those parts of the country outside cities.
This needs to signal a genuine ‘local first’ approach to policy
making across Whitehall, to ensure as many communities as
possible benefit from devolution, including the removal of
burdensome negotiations and top-down imposition of new
structures.
“National economic growth can ultimately only be achieved if
every local economy is firing on all cylinders. Only with the
right powers and adequate long-term funding which allows councils
to plan properly, can we play a lead role in unlocking the labour
market, building new affordable homes, creating jobs, plugging
skills gaps and delivering on other key government priorities.”
