Funding for council services is a national issue.
One in ten top-tier local authorities have already called for financial support from the government.
According to a Local Government Association (LGA) survey, 44 per cent of councils with social care responsibilities predict the likelihood of applying for exceptional financial support in the next three years.
The top five financial pressures are:
- Children's social care - 93 per cent
- Adult social care - 90 per cent
- SEND - 80 per cent
- Home to school transport - 65 per cent
- Homelessness - 64 per cent
The problem is most acute for top-tier (county councils and unitary authorities) councils like us because we have the big spending departments of social care, children’s services.
In October 2024, the County Council Network (CNN) also produced a report showing local authorities have had to prioritise funding to high-demand services where they have a legal responsibility, such as special educational needs, children’s services and adult social care. This has meant they have had to reduce their spending on other vital everyday services such as libraries, buses, road maintenance, children’s centres and youth services.
In September 2024, Councillor Zerny, Leader of the Council wrote to the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Jim McMahon OBE MP) to explain the rising costs and that like many other councils, we will need to severely cut much-needed local services to balance the budget this winter, unless more funding is made available.
Autumn Budget
On 30 October 2024, the Chancellor outlined the Government’s budget. This included more money for councils for potholes, adult social care and SEND. We had already anticipated the additional funding for social care in our budget. The additional money for SEND is likely to go straight to schools. Additional money for fixing potholes will be helpful but it does not solve our problem. The employers’ National Insurance rise will cost us an additional £3m, although the Government has said councils will be reimbursed for this, but we are not clear how.