Councils warn of acute pressures despite funding boost next year

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. CCN vice-chairman Barry Lewis said: “While we welcome the Government providing a further £200 million for social care, today’s provisional local government finance settlement confirms our fears that the Government is unfairly cherry-picking which councils deserve the greatest financial support next year. Today’s provisional Local Government Finance Settlement confirms our fears that the Government is unfairly cherry-picking which councils deserve the greatest financial support next year Barry Lewis, County Councils Network “By targeting the £600 million Recovery Grant on metropolitan and urban councils, the Government is ignoring the fact deprivation is not the only driver of councils’ costs nor the key indicator of which councils are under the most financial distress. “We’re anxious to avoid cuts to essential local services as we seek to balance budgets but the fact is that for many communities some services will be cut – including those that create jobs, boost growth and prevent the need for expenditure in the NHS.” Responding to questions in the Commons, local government minister Jim McMahon said: “No council, when taking into account council tax, will see a reduction in their core spending power.” He added that the Government was “covering national insurance contributions” and “funding an extra £880 million through the social care grant, so we have heard representations through the sector, but we aren’t saying that all this will fix everything today, it can’t”. It is vital that all views are considered, and the Government ensures all councils have adequate resources next year to provide the services their communities rely on every day and can meet growing and complex cost and demand pressures Louise Gittins, Local Government Association Mr McMahon continued: “You know, we’re less than six months into the new Government and we’ve got 14 years to reconcile.” Louise Gittins, Labour chairwoman of the Local Government Association, said councils of all types will continue to struggle to balance their budgets next year, with “desperately needed” council rises not enough to prevent cuts to services.