Local Government Funding

Baroness Howarth of Breckland Excerpts

Wednesday 8th July 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, social care is certainly a demand-led service. A more joined-up approach would be beneficial to councils, the NHS, patients and care users—hence the devolution of health and social care to Greater Manchester.

[Baroness Howarth of Breckland (CB)]

My Lords, has the noble Baroness seen the recent report from the Local Government Association which says that by 2020 there will be a £9 billion funding gap and local government will have to make choices between children’s services, services for the elderly, mending roads and all the other services, including deciding whether to put out the lights in the streets? Does she accept that there has to be a stop in the cuts to ensure that these choices will not have to be made?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, the Government are encouraging councils to be innovative. They are rewarding those councils for their innovation and putting more power in the hands of local people—hence some of the devolution deals—to deliver their services more efficiently.