Damning report reveals real picture of council cuts

UNISON is calling for the Government to refocus on local government services and finances, in light of a damning report* on council cuts by the Audit Commission and Local Government Association* (LGA). The report shows that councils across England have already made 145,000 job cuts and the number is set to spiral. This will have a devastating impact on the lives of local government workers and communities relying on the vital services they provide.UNISON Head of Local Government, Heather Wakefield, said:“The Government must refocus on providing funding to make sure vital local services are maintained, rather than stripped bare. Councils have already made far more job cuts than they said would be necessary. This report shows that the worst is yet to come.“UNISON members have been hit hard, as they struggle to pay bills in the face rising costs. Council workers are covering large numbers of deleted and frozen posts - on a two-year pay freeze, without the £250 compensation promised by Osborne for the lowest paid. Workers are doing more, for less, as resources drop, but demand rises. On top of this, they face cuts to pay and conditions, alongside plans to make them pay more into their pensions, work longer and receive less in retirement. “Teaching assistants, youth workers and social care workers are among the groups facing the largest cuts - despite record youth unemployment and an ageing population. Low paid women are the biggest losers, as they make up 75% of council workers and 90% of the occupations worst hit.“It is disgraceful to hear the Tory-led LGA boasting of having made 50% more savings than required by central government, even before the financial crash. The latest redundancies come on top of these huge, unnecessary cuts. These job cuts are not inevitable, there is an alternative and councils have a duty to their local communities to provide hope and employment to help people get through this financial crisis.“The report paints of a picture of a bleak future, where skilled staff lose their jobs, or are left buckling under the pressure with vital services being stripped back. These council cuts are hard, fast and unnecessary and will devastate communities when what the country needs are policies that will help to kick start the economy.”