Councils need a bold new vision to fund and deliver essential services

The perilous state of local government finances and the future of the sector provoked passionate discussion during the special local government conference.
Angela Warner, speaking for the executive, referenced UNISON research that calculated that, in 2020, councils faced a combined funding shortfall of £10 billion.
To put the figure into context, Ms Warner said the amount local government lost over 10 years of austerity was 15 billion. “So, 10 billion for just one year is huge.&rdquo