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Council Cuts Could Put Strain on Environment | 5 Mar 2010

Council budget cuts would threaten local environmental quality, Environmental Protection UK has warned.

As part of recent BBC survey, 153 local authorities were asked to predict changes in their environmental services budget for 2010/2011.

Of the 76 local councils that responded, 23 predicted cuts in their environmental budgets, with some predicting significant reductions. Herefordshire County Council predicted a 9% cut, while Cornwall Council and Coventry City Council predicted cuts of 6.5% and 5.9% respectively.

A further 22 local councils predicted that their environmental budgets would increase by less than 3%, with Sefton Council and the City of London Corporation predicting that their budgets would stay the same as 2009/10.

Philip Mulligan, Chief Executive of Environmental Protection UK, said: "Many local authorities are preparing for significant cuts, and we are concerned that services which do not enjoy the protection of mandatory responsibilities and targets may bear the brunt of cost savings.

"Local leaders should understand the vital role the environmental protection teams play in protecting the public – if these services are cut then public health will suffer as a result"

The forecast reduction of environmental budgets reflects wider cuts in council services. Of the 93 local authorities that responded to the BBC survey, 70% predicted they will have to cut overall spending by between five and 20% over the next three to five years.

Commenting on the survey results, Dame Margaret Eaton, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "Whoever wins the next election, local authorities and other parts of the public sector know they face the prospect of having to do more with less.

"A spending slowdown will inevitably mean tough decisions have to be taken, but councils will do everything they can to protect frontline services."