Resolved –

This Council supports the national ‘Breaking Point’ campaign which states that:

-          Local authorities have faced £16 billion of cuts since 2010

-          Government cuts mean councils have lost 60p out of every £1 (60%) since 2010

-          Government cuts have seen over 500 children’s centres and 475 libraries close, while an ageing population and growing demands mean adult social care faces a funding gap of £3.5 billion

-          Lord Gary Porter, the Conservative Chair of the LGA, has said “councils can no longer be expected to run our vital local services on a shoestring”

-          Pressures on councils are increasing – last year councils were forced to spend an extra £800 million on vital services to protect children

-          After almost a decade of government cuts to local authorities many are facing a crisis in funding – Northamptonshire County Council has already gone bust and others could follow, with the National Audit Office warning that one in 10 English local authorities with responsibility for social care could run out of reserves within three years

Council further notes:

-          Bradford Council has had to identify £262m of cuts and savings since 2010 due to the government cuts.

-          In common with other local authorities we face a significant budget gap (£28.8m in 2020/21) unless Government acts to restore funding and introduce a new sustainable model for local government.

-          Government needs to provide bridge funding in the coming years for areas with a low council tax and business rates base to enable a fair transition.

This Council resolves:

-          To back the Breaking Point campaign.

-          To lobby the Government in our call to restore significant additional funding to make local services sustainable and to reflect the Government’s stated position that austerity has ended.

-          To increase the profile of the essential work done by council staff to support our calls over the next 12 months for Government to recognise the urgent need for funding.

ACTION:        Chief Executive