Communities may suffer the loss of leisure and cultural facilities, fewer bus services, unkempt parks and green spaces, and see fly-tippers go unpunished without investment in under-pressure councils, the group chaired by South Holland District Council leader Lord Gary Porter has said.
Lord Porter chairs the Local Government Association (LGA) which represents all local authorities.
It says it has made the claim to “influence the forthcoming spending review.”
The LGA claims that between 2010 and 2020, councils will have lost almost 60p out of every pound the government had provided for services and that there is a £8bn funding black hole.
Speaking in his role as chairman of the LGA, Lord Porter, said: “The money local government has to provide vital services is running out fast and huge uncertainty remains about how councils will pay for services into the next decade and beyond.
“If the government fails to adequately fund local government then it will be our local communities and economies who will suffer the consequences.
“It will be those who rely on vital adult social care to live independent lives, rural bus routes to get out and about, council tax support to ease financial burdens and those who value clean streets, green spaces and roads fit for the purpose.
“The Spending Review will be make or break for vital local services and securing the financial sustainability of councils must be top priority.
“This is the only way to ensure councils can meet their legal duties to provide dignified care for our elderly and disabled, protect children, and prevent and reduce homelessness and protect the wide-range of other valued local services which also make such a positive difference to communities and people’s lives.”
