LGA responds to figures on 2019/20 Council Tax levels

Responding to figures on council tax levels in 2019/20 published today, Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board, said:

“Between 2010 and 2020, councils will have lost almost 60p out of every £1 the Government had provided for services. 

“Faced with a government funding settlement that assumes maximum council tax rises and such funding pressures, many councils feel they have little choice but to ask residents to pay more council tax again this year to help them try and protect their local services.

“With councils facing a funding gap of more than £3 billion this year, council tax rises will not prevent the need for continued cutbacks to local services.

“If the Government fails to adequately fund local government as part of the Spending Review there is a real risk to the future financial viability of some services and councils.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The LGA’s #CouncilsCan campaign aims to influence the forthcoming Spending Review and highlight the growing risk to vital local services if the Government does not take action to secure the financial sustainability of councils. Visit our campaign page for more information, here.