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“It is very disappointing that today’s Spring Statement does nothing to alleviate the funding crisis facing local services, given the National Audit Office’s warning mere days ago that local government is fast becoming financially unsustainable. Councils have sacrificed more than any other part of the public sector to help the public finances improve but cannot continue to do so without great cost to local residents.

Across the country, councils have responded to austerity by becoming more entrepreneurial and forging new relationships with citizens and partners to achieve more with less. But we are running out of options.

Like any other business, councils need certainty, stability, and flexibility to plan effectively for the future. The Chancellor’s commitment to bringing forward the next business rates revaluation must not introduce more instability to councils’ financial base. We urgently need a coherent, enduring long term funding solution for those services closest to our communities.”