The local government settlement has presented a roller-coaster of shocks and uncertainty for both county and district councils. County councils face an immediate injection of pain, with Government proposals leading to an additional £184m of unplanned cuts next year and by the end of the decade around three-quarters of districts will be in negative Revenue Support Grant (RSG).

For both types of council, the scale of proposed funding reductions will challenge the continuing provision of discretionary and statutory services, while potentially undermining the Government's agenda on growth and public service reform.