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“This Spending Review will be critical to the future of our local services with councils facing a funding gap of more than £6 billion over the next two years.

"Local government’s offer to the next government is huge. Respect us, trust us and fund us. By working together as equal partners, we can meet the fundamental long-term challenges facing our communities.”

“We are pleased the Chancellor has extended the Household Support Fund (HSF), which has helped millions of households facing hardship. It is disappointing that we had to wait until the very last minute for an extension, and that it is only for a short period."

“Extra government funding will help councils this year, but acute funding pressures remain and are forcing many councils to make stark choices about what popular services to cut."

“Today’s settlement does not provide enough funding to meet the severe cost and demand pressures which have left councils of all political colours and types warning of the serious challenges they face to set balanced budgets next year."

The local government family has long warned of the growing financial challenges facing councils. Through savings and efficiencies, councils have done everything they can to deliver balanced budgets and ensure vital local services are saved from being cut. Yet for many of our members, they are now approaching or already at the point where their financial sustainability is at risk.  Today we unite to call on the Chancellor in the Autumn Statement to address the significant financial challenges faced by councils, and to protect the vital local services that our residents rely on every day.  But

“Today’s final settlement confirms an increase in local government core spending power, which will help councils deal with inflationary and other cost pressures they face next year."

“The increase in local government core spending power next year, confirmed in today’s provisional settlement, will help councils deal with inflationary and other cost pressures they face.

“Councils want to work with central government to develop a long-term strategy to deliver critical local services and growth more effectively. Alongside certainty of funding and greater investment, this also needs wider devolution where local leaders have greater freedom from central government to take decisions on how to provide vital services in their communities.”

Cllr Andrew Western, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board has responded to an Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) report which states how public service funding cuts is putting the Levelling Up agenda in danger.