The UK has been through one of the worst financial crises in living memory and there are few places where the effects of this are felt more acutely than local government.

A recent YouGov survey, commissioned by Interserve, revealed that councils expect budget cuts of 11% or more by 2016. Such a significant reduction raises the question of whether local authorities will be able to continue delivering the same range and quality of services that communities have been accustomed to.

Increasingly, councils find themselves in a position where they feel their only option is to cut non-statutory services to meet financial targets, particularly in areas such as leisure and culture.