Title

HIGHWAYS

England's poorest areas hardest hit by austerity

Residents living in England’s most deprived areas were hit hardest by the largest local authority spending cuts during a decade of austerity, a think-tank has found.

Residents living in England's most deprived areas were hit hardest by the largest local authority spending cuts during a decade of austerity, a think-tank has found.

A new report from the Institute for Government (IfG) revealed how grant cuts and the rising demand for social care shrunk the scope of local government in England.

The IfG found the most grant-dependent and deprived areas such as Birmingham, Lambeth and Salford were more likely to make deeper cuts to neighbourhood services.

For example, deprived areas were more likely to report reductions in bus routes and libraries.

The think-tank added the Government lacks information on two-thirds of neighbourhood services spending.

HIGHWAYS

Autumn Budget must provide the financial stability councils need

By Chris Cooke | 19 October 2026

Writing ahead of next week’s Autumn Budget, chair of SIGOMA mayor Chris Cooke says councils need a fairer, more predictable and sustainable funding system, a...

HIGHWAYS

EXCLUSIVE: Chiefs push for councils to be viewed equally as Government seeks to rewire the state

By Dan Peters | 14 October 2026

Council chief executives have warned Whitehall that local authorities must be treated as equal partners as the Government plans to rewire the state.

HIGHWAYS

Can you see the change?

By Jonathan Carr-West | 13 October 2026

Jonathan Carr-West outlines the role councils should play in a rewired state.

HIGHWAYS

Deferring maintenance is a decision, not a saving

By Adnan Qureshi | 12 October 2026

Adnan Qureshi says delaying work can be a perfectly rational decision when budgets are tight. The danger starts when a one-year deferral becomes a liability ...

Popular articles by William Eichler

-->