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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
John Stevens

Councils may be forced to cut essential services to plug £3bn blackhole, union warns

Councils face a £3billion black hole in their finances next year that will force them to cut essential services, it has been warned.

Bin collections, libraries and leisure centres all face being hit as local authorities struggle to make ends meet.

A report by Unison shows Birmingham City Council is projected to have the largest funding gap at £80.1million next year.

Bradford Council is next on £77.1million, closely followed by the City of Edinburgh Council on £62.6million.

A record shortfall of £3.19billion across councils in England, Scotland and Wales means they will be forced to rely on dwindling reserves, as well as cut services and jobs, the union said.

New PM Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt are currently preparing the Autumn Budget (JESSICA TAYLOR/UK PARLIAMENT/UNPIXS)

Unison compiled data from 391 local councils across the country. It found that the vast majority (86%) have a predicted budget gap.

Most are responding to the crisis by cutting services.

Cornwall Council has closed three children's centres, Wirral Council is to shut nine libraries and Leeds City Council has cancelled bonfire night events in six locations next month.

General secretary Christina McAnea said: “Local authorities provide the essential services everyone relies on such as waste collection, road repairs, and children’s care.

“But cash-strapped councils are having to resort to ever more desperate measures after years of austerity just to keep services going.

“Now the government looks set to make their predicament infinitely worse with emergency cuts to spending following the mini-Budget fiasco.

“Local communities cannot be the ones to pay the price for the government’s grotesque mismanagement of the economy.

“The new PM and chancellor must sort the crisis in local government funding, and give councils the cash they need to save services.”

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