Central government funding to local government would all but cease were expenditure plans outlined in the Autumn Statement to be carried out, shadow chancellor Ed Balls warned this week. Coming ahead of the 18 March pre-election Budget, Mr Balls said government tax and spending assumptions would see unprotected public services, including local government budgets, endure £58bn cuts over four years - equivalent to overall 35% reductions from 2016/17 to 2019/20. Referring to local government cutbacks, the Labour Party's dossier on Conservative spending plans read: 'This would mean all but ending central government funding for local government. This is clearly impossible to countenance.'
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