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“It is critical that that the Government uses the Spending Review to provide significant investment so councils can continue to support their employees as much as possible and recruit and retain the staff needed to provide the local services that are delivered every day by our hard-working staff, alongside care workers and NHS colleagues.”

“This 1 per cent PWLB rate increase could cost councils an extra £70 million a year for borrowing to be undertaken in the next year."

“The increase in local government core spending power next year, confirmed in today’s provisional settlement, will help councils deal with inflationary and other cost pressures they face.

"Only with adequate long-term resources, certainty and freedoms, can councils deliver world-class local services for our communities, tackle the climate emergency, and level up all parts of the country"

"More than 85 per cent of the potential core funding increase next year is dependent on councils increasing council tax by up to 5 per cent next year."

Councils have shouldered more than their fair share of austerity and have tried to reduce any impact on residents, but there is only so much they can do and the financial challenges they face are growing. More and more councils are struggling to balance their books and others are considering whether they have the funding to even deliver their statutory requirements

Cllr Peter Fleming, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Improvement and Innovation Board, responds to to the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman ‘Review of local government complaints 2018-19.

“We are pleased the Government will provide councils with funding to offer grant relief to businesses which have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and seen their circumstances change due to the effects of the pandemic."

Cllr Claire Kober, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board, responded to the National Audit Office report on 100 per cent retention of business rates

"Councils continue to lead local efforts to beat this disease but are facing increased cost and demand pressures at the same time as experiencing a significant drop in income."