Responding to the Spring Statement, , Chairman of the Local
Government Association, said:
“The Government acted on our calls to find extra one-off
funding for councils this year in the last Autumn Budget,
including for social care, potholes and high streets. With
councils still facing a funding gap of more than £3 billion in
2019/20, it is disappointing that the Chancellor has missed the
opportunity to use today’s Spring Statement to provide further
desperately-needed funding for our under-pressure local services
this year.
“The money local government has to maintain the services
our communities rely on is running out fast and huge uncertainty
remains about how local services will be paid for into the next
decade.
“Last year’s Autumn Budget was the earliest for a number of
years but was still held at the end of October. The Government’s
plan to publish the Spending Review alongside the Autumn Budget
this year could exacerbate the funding challenges facing councils
and will severely hamper their ability to plan ahead for next
year and beyond. It is vital that the Government publishes the
Spending Review much earlier and ensures it genuinely secures the
financial sustainability of councils.
“Now is the time to invest in our people and our
places.
“Brexit cannot be a distraction from the challenges facing
our public services. If we truly value our local services then we
have to be prepared to pay for them. Fully funding councils is
the only way councils will be able to keep providing the services
which matter to people’s lives, continue to lead their local
areas, improve residents’ lives, reduce demand for public
services, and save money for the taxpayer.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
-
Between 2010 and 2020, councils will have lost almost 60p
out of every £1 the Government had provided for
services.
