Central government funding is being slashed across the board with the first casualties expected to be libraries, arts and leisure, resulting in tens of thousands of job cuts in the next two years.
According to research conducted by the BBC English Regions which included 150 county, unitary and metropolitan councils and London boroughs, found that almost all of the authorities "expected cuts".
The Conservatives if elected have vowed to press on with the ethos "less for more", but still protecting frontline services in local authorities but cutting layers of management and centralising administration of departments, or closing entire departments and having the private sector take control.
The level of cuts is subject to the amount of central government funding that local authorities receive, some local government officials expect that up to 20% of current expenditure will need to be cut, to reflect the crisis in public sector funding in Whitehall.
The "Barnet-Blueprint" which paves the way for local councils to hive off departments to the private sector, and retain essential services will be the way forward. Its now time that a debate takes place on the future of local government, and how local communities need to start taking control of facilities and running them more efficiently and effectively for the local population.
