Councils across England have warned that Government funding cuts could leave streets uncollected and bins piling up, with leaders accusing Labour of slashing money from wealthier authorities to boost Labour-run ones.
Analysis by The Telegraph found that Conservative and Liberal Democrat-dominated councils in England will face a £487m cut in government grants and funding over this parliament, while Labour councils are expected to receive a £1.6bn boost. Authorities have warned that basic services such as bin collection and street sweeping could be reduced, particularly in London, due to the scale of the cuts.
Westminster warns of reduced bin collections
Paul Fisher, Tory leader of Westminster council, told The Telegraph: "There's a risk of streets not being cleaned. In some areas you might have three bin collections a week, and you might want to reduce that to one potentially."
According to the council leader, Westminster residents contribute £8.8bn to the Treasury every year, including £2.7bn in business rates. However, the council will see its funding cut by £100m in the coming years. Mr Fisher slammed the cut as "unacceptable", arguing that the Government is asking council taxpayers to "subsidise the work of keeping our capital clean for everyone".
Richmond and West Berkshire face shortfalls
In Richmond, Lib Dem leader Gareth Roberts said he is "being forced into making potentially unpopular choices" due to the changes. The council is expected to lose out on £104m worth of funding in the next four years. He believes the Government is forcing councils into bankruptcy.
Jeff Brooks, Lib Dem leader of West Berkshire council, says shortfalls will risk the area "looking run-down". Leaders are being forced to make changes to ensure services are protected while having limited finances.
Waste services under pressure
Jonathan Brook, Lib Dem leader of Westmorland and Furness council, said: "We are already taking steps to make savings in our waste service to protect this as a vital front-line service."
He added: "Waste collection is one of the key services that residents use to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of council services in general, as it is a highly visible service and has a direct impact on every resident, so changes have to be very carefully managed."
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government said: "We're fixing an outdated funding system so funding goes where need is greatest. As a result, nine in 10 councils will receive funding that broadly matches their need so they can deliver the high-quality public services local people need."
The spokesman added: "This is alongside making over £78bn available for council finances this year, with the majority of money unringfenced, so local leaders can decide for themselves how best to spend on their priorities."
