Local government can expect continuing cuts for the next five years, despite council spending falling by 9.4% between 2009/10 and 2011/12, the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned.

The IFS Green Budget, published on 15 February, reveals that current cuts bring council spending back to the levels of 2004/05, but there are further real-term grant cuts planned annually until 2015, and additional cuts to 2017.