Who’s responsible for cuts to council services? Central government or local government? The latter may find their budgets squeezed but it’s still their decision to close libraries or swimming pools. Nowhere is is mandated that they react to a tight spending settlement by doing so. They are responsible for choices made in response to circumstances for which they are not primarily responsible. Nevertheless, David is quite right to bemoan:
[…] Local government conniving to avoid responsibility for spending contractions. With adroit calculation, councils bastardise vital services to inconvenience those they represent. Local bus routes are a necessity, particularly for pensioners, school children and those who live in rural areas. Rising fuel costs are exerting yet more pressure on strained public transport networks. Retrenchment will therefore hamper economic recovery; inequality and poverty deepen in consequence, or so the argument goes.
True. It might also be said – again – however that the government has walked into this trap.And, all the while, councils blame tight-fisted central government.
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