More than 100 top English council leaders have written to chancellor George Osborne warning the sector cannot take ‘more of the same' funding reductions in Wednesday's Autumn Statement.

The letter which was signed by chair of the Local Government Association, Cllr David Sparks, and the leaders of all the main LGA political groups – including Conservative Group leader Cllr Gary Porter,  Labour leader Cllr Jim McMahon, urged a' new settlement' for England in the autumn statement that 'shared tax and spending across the UK on a fair basis'.

‘After a 40% reduction in funding during this parliament, our efficiency savings are coming to an end,' stated the letter published in The Observer.