County councils need to make £1bn worth of savings to cope with ‘unprecedented' financial pressures, county council leaders have said.

New research by the County Councils' Network (CCN) and the Society of County Treasurers showed inflation was expected to add £1.6bn to their members' budgets next year on top of high price rises last year, which increased costs by £1.41bn in 2022-23.

CCN said councils would be forced to find efficiencies and reduce services even after raising council tax.

Finance spokesperson for CCN, Carl Les, said: 'This analysis shows the scale of the financial challenges facing county authorities to remain solvent, with councils having little option to raise council tax.

‘The medium-term outlook looks bleak unless these higher costs are recognised and councils are given longer term financial certainty, alongside delivering long promised fair funding reforms.'