Many local authorities are in denial about the extent of the changes they have to make as a result of budget cuts, management consultants said today.
In a report, Local and efficient – meeting the challenge for local government, the Management Consultancies Association said that cost-reduction programmes work best when they are built on clear strategic thinking and astute planning – but many local authorities have not had time for either.
It warns that greater public debate about the cuts is needed and the government must be ready to help councils and ‘show leadership’.
Other recommendations for councils include: avoiding across the board spending cuts; reviewing services and who provides them; and separating the design and commissioning of services from their delivery.
MCA chief executive Alan Leaman said: ‘Because the central reductions in support for local government spending are concentrated over the next two years, decisions taken in the next weeks and months will substantially determine the chances of success. There is a real danger that councils will realise too late that they need to take a radical approach. By then the cost of action is likely to be greater still.’
