Years of cuts putting Councils under ‘immense strain’, says TUC
Councils in the East Midlands are spending £597 million a year less on key services than in 2010, according to new research published today.
The TUC says Councils in the region were spending around £4 billion on key services such as social care, waste management, libraries and transport in 2010/11, but years of cuts to local government funding have seen spending decrease by 15 percent to £3.3 billion.
The TUC has calculated that this equates to 20 per cent (£95) less being spent on services per person.
The local authorities in the region with the biggest spending drops on vital services since 2010/11 are Derbyshire Dales (£6. 3 million a year less); North East Derbyshire (£7.1 million less); Broxtowe (£9.4 million less) and East Lindsey (£15 million less).
UNISON East Midlands head of local government Barbara McKenna said: “Local council-run services hold communities together but nine years of Westminster-imposed austerity has put an immense strain on their ability to do that.
“Across the East Midlands, central government spending cuts have forced libraries to shut, care visits have been reduced, allotments and parks sold off, youth centres closed, subsidised bus services scrapped and public conveniences mothballed.
“With the government squeezing council finances, authorities have had little choice but to increase charges to local residents, reduce essential services or cut them altogether. Now nine years on, the cupboard is virtually bare and some local authorities can no longer provide the legal minimum.
“Unfortunately it’s been those councils in the most deprived parts of the country – where local people rely on services the most – that have been the biggest losers. This desperate situation cannot continue. Local government must get the resources it needs now.”
