The Institute for Government think-tank has recently undertaken analysis which illustrates how poorer areas have been disproportionately hit by a combination of cuts which has left East coast towns in particular ‘Hollowed Out’ since 2010.
Their official report ‘Neighbourhood Services Under Strain’, found that
‘Poorer areas worst affected by spending cuts’, some Councils have coped better than others and that parks, libraries, refuse collection and children's centres have been maintained well, particularly in areas where support from Parish council precepts is made available to support services, but that a lack of information has made it difficult to learn any lessons from reduced spending.
TheThink Tank stated there's only performance indicators for about a third of local government spending and in a number of Councils secrecy about the Councils performance stops the data being shared. They have warned ministers better data and more of it is essential to being able to drive forward with their plans for levelling up and league tables for best value should be in place to drive up standards.
Councillor Eileen Cartie of Blyth agrees with the Institute she said: “Blyth neighbourhood services have not suffered as much as other areas as they are well supported by the Labour led Town Council whose priority is employment for local people, but data and indicators down to Parish level needs to be made available by the County Council not only to see how they perform against other Councils but also to see if Parish Councils who contribute to schemes get better or only similar benefits to Parishes who don’t.”
“The County Council don’t share the performance data it collects with opposition Councillors making scrutiny of services a sham and I’m pleased that an organisation with the governments ear has come out to show how plans at all levels link together through data
and ministers need to legislate immediately to begin to equalise society in an understandable fashion”.
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