Urban Councils Warn of Financial Failure in Letter to Angela Rayner

Councils in some of the UK’s poorest urban areas have cautioned the government that the overwhelming majority will struggle to meet their budget targets in the next financial year. Many local authorities in the country have been struggling financially, accumulating debt and cutting services available to residents. Restricted funding affects services in social care, housing, environment and planning. Councils in 48 urban authorities, representing 14 million constituents in England, have urged Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to increase their core spending power in 2025-2026 by 7 percent. The measures will help local authorities to address the immediate funding gap, according to the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (Sigoma)....