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LGA media release 8 July 2015   Responding to the Chancellor's Summer Budget today, Cllr Gary Porter, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said:   "It is right that the Chancellor has not used his Summer Budget to further reduce in-year local government funding. Councils already have to find £2.5 billion in savings this financial year and these are proving the most difficult savings to find yet. "Councils will now be looking to the Spending Review in the autumn which will decide the future of our public services over the next decade. "It is likely to see councils continue to

The Local Government Association is calling for the Government to urgently bring forward details of its comprehensive plan to ensure the financial sustainability of councils this year and next.

Council tax rises in 2017/18 will not bring in enough money to prevent the need for further deep cuts to local services next year, the Local Government Association warns today.

More than 2.5 million working age people across England claimed a discount on their council tax between April and June this year - the highest number since records began in 2015.

The local government family has long warned of the growing financial challenges facing councils. Through savings and efficiencies, councils have done everything they can to deliver balanced budgets and ensure vital local services are saved from being cut. Yet for many of our members, they are now approaching or already at the point where their financial sustainability is at risk.  Today we unite to call on the Chancellor in the Autumn Statement to address the significant financial challenges faced by councils, and to protect the vital local services that our residents rely on every day.  But

More than £730 million in vital EU cash which could help local communities bounce back from COVID-19 risks going unspent and being sent back to Brussels if the funding is not allocated by the Government before the end of the year, councils warn today.

"We are pleased that the Government has indicated it is working on a comprehensive plan to address the ongoing financial challenges councils face this financial year as they lead communities through the COVID-19 crisis. We urge the Government to bring forward details of this plan as soon as possible."

Councils are facing massive increases in costs due to spiralling inflation and the increase in energy costs, the Local Government Association (LGA) are warning today.

“Extra government funding will help councils this year, but acute funding pressures remain and are forcing many councils to make stark choices about what popular services to cut."

The latest shared services map from the Local Government Association (LGA), published today, shows that there are now 626 individual shared service arrangements across the country resulting in £1.34 billion of efficiency savings.