Hilary Benn MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in response to the Local Government Finance settlement,said:

“Ministers have been criticised by the National Audit Office, among others, for having little understanding of the impact on frontline services of their decisions and they are failing to devolve power so that public money is most effectively spent.

“Instead of a fairer settlement the Government has hit the communities with the most need the hardest, and instead of giving councils the long-term budgets and freedoms they need to make real long-term sustainable savings the libraries that enrich our children’s education, the social care for our elderly to keep them healthy and out of hospital and the everyday council services like bin collections and street cleaning are bearing the brunt.

“Today was a chance to address the charge of complacency but it is now clear that the government doesn’t have a plan for the future of local services. Labour would encourage further sharing of services to protect the frontline and keep the services residents rely on.”

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