Councils gearing up for the worst too

Council bosses are drawing up plans on how public services can be delivered if the government makes cuts to council budgets because of the recession. The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy are joining forces to analyse the implications of a ‘full range of possible economic scenarios’ and are coming up with a list of what services might be cut if the recession is deeper than forecast – with street lighting, leisure and elderly care services likely to bear the brunt of cuts.