More than 150 council leaders have signed a letter warning chancellor George Osborne important local services could be reduced or scrapped unless his spending round announcement puts town hall finances on a sustainable footing

Printed in The Observer newspaper today, the letter is co-signed by Local Government Association chairman Sir Merrick Cockell, the leaders of all the four main political groups - including Conservative Group leader Gary Porter, who was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list – and 146 others.