Chancellor plans 1% LA budget reduction

Further cuts to local authorities social care spending are predicted after Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced a 1% reduction in council budgets. In his budget statement, the Chancellor said cuts across all areas of government would be implemented where necessary to control public spending and bring departments in line with what they were actually spending. Only schools and health services would be protected, Mr Osborne said. Chairman of the LGA Sir Merrick Cockell described the measure as extremely worrying’ and said reducing the money available for local services would be a’ false economy which diminishes those services, leads to higher costs in other parts of the public sector and limits the role councils can play in promoting growth’.