News

Severe funding shortages for social services that protect vulnerable children have pushed nearly nine in 10 councils into the red, new LGA analysis relveals.

Families face the prospect of seeing more children’s centres close in their community after figures analysed by the Local Government Association showed councils have been forced to cut their spending on the service by nearly a quarter in four years.

The number of people using buses in England each year has fallen to its lowest level in a decade.

The amount of people using buses in England each year has fallen to its lowest level in a decade – down to 4.38 billion passenger journeys across the country in 2016/17.

"Buses provide a vital service for our communities and a lifeline for our most vulnerable residents to go shopping, pick up medication, attend doctor appointments or socialise with friends. Councils know how important buses are for their residents and local economies and are desperate to protect them."

“With over two thirds of councils spending more than they planned to on tackling homelessness, it is vital the Government follows this with long-term funding for homeless prevention in the Spending Review."

"Urgent clarity is needed on how the Government’s fundamental review of business rates will impact on reforms to allow local government to keep more of business rates income collected locally from next year."

A coalition of councils, charities and campaigners - including those with experience of the children’s care system - has written a joint open letter to the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt urging him in Wednesday’s Autumn Statement to provide the funding children’s social care “desperately needs…before it is pushed to the brink”.

“Our six-point plan would give councils a better chance of being able to move homeless children into permanent accommodation "

“Tombstoning is extremely dangerous and anyone doing it is dicing with death or risks ending up with life-changing or serious injuries"