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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Kiran Stacey, Patrick Butler and Jessica Murray

English councils to remain poorer than in 2010 despite funding rise, says report

Inside view of an empty children's library
Spending on libraries in England fell by 50% between 2009-10 and 2023-24, the research found. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Councils in England will still be poorer by the end of this parliament than they were in 2010 despite Labour’s funding increases, according to analysis by the Institute for Government (IfG).

Funding cuts from 2010 to 2019 were so severe that they left gaps that could not be filled even by five years of above-inflation increases, leaving local authorities increasingly reliant on emergency funding and capable of providing only legally mandated services, the report shows.

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