New Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson today delivered his first statement to MP’s in the House of Commons. In a lengthy speech that remained light on details, Johnson failed to make any mention of local government and the growing crisis in local services – particularly around adult social care and children’s services.
The Local Government Association states that councils face a £3.6 billion funding gap in adult social care by 2025 and have lost 60p out of every £1 in central government funding since 2010. More than a third of councils’ overall budgets are spent on adult social care. And children’s services in England are at breaking point and need a £3.1 billion minimum funding boost by 2025. The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has said current funding levels are unsustainable.
“We may have a new Prime Minister – but today’s statement suggests that very little has changed for Local Government. Johnson’s announcement was silent on local government – with nothing to fix the crisis in social care and nothing for children’s services that have been been pushed to breaking point.
“Our communities do not need any more arm-waving bluster and empty promises. We need a Labour Government with the competence to reverse the tide of cuts; and after a decade of division policies for the few, to focus on the interests of the many.”
