Local Government Funding

Baroness Janke Excerpts

Wednesday 8th July 2015 Lords Chamber

[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.

[Baroness Janke (LD)]

My Lords, does the Minister recognise that many local government services are crucial to the most vulnerable and poorest people in our society? Does she recognise that the huge annual shortfall in the social care budget is giving great anxiety, in particular to elderly and vulnerable people who wonder when their daily care will be the next victim of the Government’s cuts to local government funding?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, I am certainly aware of how crucial some local government services are to local people, particularly in those demand-led services. As I said, public satisfaction with council services has remained or increased in the last few years.