Town halls have once again been asked to shoulder the burden of the UK's faltering economic performance, after chancellor, George Osborne, this week revealed he would restrict pay rises for a further two years, cut more public staff, and stifle cashflows to local authorities.

With council staff already facing increased pensions contributions – the subject of this week's strikes by public sector staff – and the dog days of a two-year pay freeze which ends in April, the chancellor's Autumn Statement on 29 November offered little respite from centrally-imposed austerity.