Local government services need urgent and fundamental reform if they are to be made sustainable, the County Councils Network has said as the 2024 general election campaign moves forward.
Levelling up secretary Michael Gove said councils deserve “sufficiently generous” funding and hinted more devolution deals could be announced in the Autumn Statement.
The removal of rural bus routes has forced authorities to provide unsustainable ‘demand-responsive’ services and prompted the County Councils Network to call for additional money.
Not increasing funding for virtual schools to match their new expanded remit could see them become a “victim of their own success”, the County Councils Network has warned.
Giving county councils funding and power to encourage business growth and regional development could see rural areas close the gap with their city counterparts, leaders have said.
County council leaders have warned that they face a financial situation worse than at any point in recent years, with services at risk, if their budgets are cut in the government’s push for savings.
English councils may need to spend much more than the government has forecast when implementing reforms aimed at reducing the long-term cost of social care.
On 23 November, PF published an online report of a speech made by communities secretary Michael Gove at the County Council Network’s annual conference.
The government could ditch Local Enterprise Partnerships, after communities secretary Michael Gove outlined a preference for economic development powers to be held by elected politicians.
Around 80% of county and unitary authorities are expected to make cuts next year in order to set a balanced budget, according to a survey from the County Councils Network.
Local government minister Simon Clarke said the government’s forthcoming devolution white paper will help the country’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
Secretary of state Robert Jenrick has told local authorities he will “try his best” to secure more government funding for councils if it is needed as councils struggle to deal with financial burdens...
£500m additional Covid-19-related funding from central government is not enough to prevent cuts to local authority budgets, according to the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities.
England’s largest councils could be forced to make “large-scale reductions” in services in order to set legal budgets this year, according to a report from the County Councils Network.
