As the chancellor prepares for his Autumn Statement and Spending Review announcements, some early indications of the magnitude of funding reductions facing local government are beginning to surface.

One can argue that the only feasible way for reaching the Treasury's target of a budget surplus by 2019/20 would be through further cuts to selected governmental departments, with local government anticipating reductions of 30%. But with pressure on all types of sustainable funding and as the pressure of service delivery intensifies on an already stretched system, how do further cuts impact the realities currently faced by local government?