How is £1 of council funding spent? 🧵
 
Councils provide hundreds of services in your area; looking after vulnerable people, keeping the streets clean and running leisure centres.  
 
But the future financial sustainability of local services is on a cliff edge. Demand for services caring for adults and children is increasing, while core funding from central government has not kept pace with demand or inflation since 2010. 

local.gov.uk/save-local-ser…

Each year, #LocalGov helps adults to re-engage in learning, gain vital new skills and take next steps into work.

But Govt plans to limit this offer, risking stifling economic growth, leaving vacancies in crucial areas like social care, teaching & green tech. Growing the economy won’t be easily achieved if we can’t provide the routes to jobs of the future.

We need to be investing more now to give people the right skills to keep up with demand and provide the next generation of engineers, teachers, nurses and care workers.

Councils are often expected to use reserves to plug ongoing budget gaps and #SaveLocalServices.

Using reserves is not the solution to the financial pressures councils are facing. 

A council reserves 🧵👇 Councils hold financial reserves so they can plan for the future & are used in 3 different ways.

Money is used to pay for both planned projects, such as renewing the town centre or harder to predict situations, like a pandemic or responding to emergencies like flooding.

Council run leisure facilities play a key role in keeping communities together, the nation active and reducing the burden on the NHS.

As representatives of #LocalGov, we're proud to back the #SaveLeisure campaign, launched by @CommLeisureUK, @_ukactive and @cimspa.

Why? Thread: Leisure centres and other sporting facilities provided by councils support 36% of physical activity across the country.

#LocalGov continues to lead local efforts to beat #coronavirus but is being stretched to the maximum.

Many councils continue to face spiralling cost and demand pressures at the same time as seeing a huge drop in income.

This is unsustainable.

THREAD (1/8) 👇 Extra funding for councils will be helpful but they will need up to four times the funding they have been allocated by government so far.

We are working with councils to provide the most robust evidence to government on the financial challenges they face. (2/8)

We're heartbroken to hear that some of our #LocalGov colleagues have been abused while working to keep communities running.

This is unacceptable. They're our people and they are working tirelessly to get us all through💙

A #ThankYouLocalGov thread 👇 In our time of need, the bin men from @lpoolcouncil are continuing to work to make sure the streets of #Liverpool are clean and tidy.

We salute you! 👏

#ThankYouLocalGov

https://twitter.com/lpoolcouncil/status/1243464754485776384