Councils may need to cut services

Local authorities may need to cut frontline services or jobs to keep council tax down, research by the Local Government Association (LGA) has found.

Grant increases for social services are currently running at two per cent or less and budgets are being severely squeezed.

A snapshot survey of 54 councils across England revealed that 28 per cent are considering cuts.

LGA chair Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, said: “The money given by central government to most councils was better than originally proposed. However, the settlement included no funding for demographic change such as the increasing number of vulnerable elderly people and more people with mental and physical disabilities requiring care. “