Our local councils are the front line of our democracy. From social care and schools to housing and bin collections, they provide the essential services that hold our communities together. But today, after years of Conservative neglect and a lack of seriousness from the new Labour Government to tackle the financial crisis in local government head-on, our councils are in survival mode.
Since 2018, seven councils in England have been forced to admit they cannot meet their spending commitments, and in the last year alone, 30 councils required emergency government bailouts. This emergency threatens the local services we all rely on.
Today, our members passed a policy calling for an end to the sticking plaster approach, demanding a fair, long-term funding settlement for every community.
A System at Breaking Point
For too long, central government has handed down deep cuts while piling on more pressure. Councils are facing a perfect storm:
Our Plan to Save Local Services
We cannot afford to let our councils fail. The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to move past emergency bailouts and deliver a sustainable future for local government:
- Real-Term Funding Increases: A sustained increase in core funding to help councils keep pace with inflation and a growing, ageing population.
- Fixing the SEND Deficit: A dedicated, long-term funding solution for the high-needs education deficits that are currently bankrupting school budgets.
- A Fair Funding Review: Implementing a needs-based system that ensures money goes where it is needed most, with full protections so no council faces destabilising year-on-year losses.
- A Comprehensive Review: Fully review how we fund local government to ensure a fair, sustainable, multi-year settlement that allows councils to properly plan for the future.