Ahead of the Labour government’s first Budget on Wednesday, Green Party Council leaders are warning of the urgent need for proper funding for local councils and services, after many years of damaging austerity.
Local Government Association analysis shows that service spending in 2022/23 was 42.1% lower than it would have been had service spend moved in line with cost and demand pressures since 2010/11. This means that councils have made £24.5 billion in service cuts and efficiencies over this period [1].
Local councils deliver a huge range of statutory services, from child protection to waste and recycling services and temporary accommodation. They are also uniquely placed for real action on achieving net zero and to protect and restore other services vital to health and wellbeing in the community such as sports, arts, leisure and green spaces.
Tony Dyer, Green leader of Bristol City Council, said:
“Local Government provides many of our most essential services, from social care, to education and affordable housing. After years of cuts, if we do not see a real terms increase in local government funding then these services will falter and our communities will suffer.
“We desperately need a boost to our funding to enable proper resourcing of core and statutory services, especially those creating the most pressure on council finances such as adult social care, children services such as SEND, and temporary accommodation provision.”
Caroline Topping, Green leader of East Suffolk Council, said:
“As Green Party leaders of local Councils, we welcome the new government’s manifesto commitment to multiyear funding settlements and an end to wasteful competitive bidding, which has stressed already overstretched officer capacity and council resources. Even successful bids have often come with strings attached and time scales that hamper delivery. We expect and look forward to a completely new relationship which puts council funding on a secure and sustainable footing.”
Emily O’Brien, Cabinet Member for Climate, Nature and Food Systems on Green-led Lewes District Council, said:
“Funding for council-led home insulation programmes is an example of the win-win that Councils can help deliver – cutting both carbon emissions and household energy bills. We have worked hard with neighbouring Councils to maximise insulation with the limited resources we have. National funding will immediately accelerate this and deliver savings and comfort to our tenants.”
Ellie Chowns, Green MP for North Herefordshire and former cabinet member for environment, economy and skills on Herefordshire Council, said:
“After so many years of austerity, local councils absolutely need the funding to deliver those basic services which everyone uses. Getting the basics right at local level is essential for the government to deliver on bigger national plans. Now is the time for a new government to set a new course for renewed investment in local public services.”
Notes
[1] Further funding cuts for councils would be disastrous; urgent funding and reform is needed | Local Government Association
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