WIREDGOV

Cllr Claire Kober, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board, responded to the Institute for Government’s report on the performance of government in funding key public services

“We have long warned that inadequate funding for local government has a knock-on effect on other parts of the public sector, which are often left to pick up the pieces of councils being forced to scale back services.

“As this report makes clear, one example of this false economy is money being pumped into the NHS while councils receive less social care and public health funding. These services are essential to help people live independently in their communities and reduce demand on the NHS by actually preventing them from needing to go into hospital in the first place.

“Councils face an overall funding gap of £5.8 billion by 2020. The Autumn Budget needs to recognise that councils cannot continue to provide vital day-to-day services without sufficient and sustainable resources. 

“Plugging this overall funding gap must be a priority. It is the only way councils can ensure children and adults receive the care they deserve, desperately-needed homes are built and roads are maintained to high standards and protect other services, such as maintaining our parks and green spaces and running leisure centres and libraries.”

Our submission to the 2017 Autumn Budget sets out how, with the right funding and powers, councils can continue to lead their local areas. 

IFG report: Cycle of crisis, cash and repeat in public services costs government £10bn