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June 2023 - Local Government

81% of senior local government officers say they are doubtful about the financial health of local government over the next three years: A confidence survey by London Government Chronicle (LGC) has revealed that 81% of senior local government officers are doubtful about the financial health of local government over the next three years, with just 5% saying they were feeling confident. 

The survey was conducted in March and April 2023 and asked 340 respondents questions around financial health and services. The survey regularly asks respondents working in local government about their opinions and to give feedback on issues facing colleagues and residents. 

It found that due to inflation many were expecting to make cuts across a number of areas, with more than two-thirds saying that leisure services were likely to be affected (67%). Other areas facing cuts included roads and highways (58%), libraries (55%), street cleaning (51%) and waste (47%) as well as adult social care (45%), children's social care (43%), housing (50%), planning (43%) and public health (47%). 

The quality of services offered by councils is also likely to decline, with 42% saying that over the next three years they expect quality of services to fall a lot, with 38% predicting it will fall 'a little'. Just three percent said they think it will 'increase a little', with 1% saying it is likely to increase a lot and 17% believing that services will remain largely the same. 

The research also revealed that 14% of leaders believe their council could issue a section 114 notice by the end of 2024-25.

 

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