Mayor Dave Hodgson has echoed a stark warning from the Local Government Association (LGA) that local services are being placed under severe threat not only by unprecedented government cuts but also spiralling cost pressures imposed on Councils. The LGA has calculated that Councils face an additional £10 billion of cost pressures by 2020, with over £6 billion of this comprising government policies to be implemented over the period.
The other £3.6 billion is made up of "business as usual" pressures to maintain services at their current level based on rising demand for council services and inflation. Mayor Dave has confirmed that the national crisis in funding is hitting Bedford Borough as hard as other areas, with a massive £25.6 million of annual savings projected to be required, in addition to the £81 million of ongoing savings already achieved since 2010.
Commenting, Mayor Dave Hodgson said: "We have been unrelenting in our ongoing drive to find all possible efficiency savings away from the front line, and have a record of focusing savings in Borough Hall, not out in the community. But these massive cost pressures, on top of the punishing cuts in funding, will put unbearable strain on services.'
"With the spending review approaching this autumn, I endorse the LGA's call for fairer funding to protect vital local services and the vulnerable people in our communities who depend on them.'
"Quite simply, if we don't get a fair level of funding from government then service cuts will be unavoidable."
The LGA's warning is outlined in its detailed submission to the Treasury ahead of the November Spending Review, in which it warns the Chancellor that failing to fully consider these unfunded cost burdens in the Spending Review could result in important local services being scaled back or lost altogether.