English councils plan to sell off social clubs and sports centres to balance books

Local councils argue they must continue to raise vital cash from asset sales or declare themselves bankrupt. Photograph: Ian Francis stock/Alamy

English councils are planning to sell social clubs, sports centres and shopping arcades as they bet on a fire sale of assets to balance the books, according to a survey of local authorities.

The key cities group of councils, which represents second-tier cities in England, said 60% of councils were planning to sell assets to meet the escalating costs of adult and children’s social care.