Our councils will need bailout to avoid bankruptcy – The Yorkshire Post says

Yet one group are still to receive sufficient recognition; namely those front line town hall workers who have ensured that key local services have continued.

Without them, Boris Johnson would be facing even greater criticism over the Government’s response. But therein lies the rub. The cost of doing so, on the back of a decade of austerity, has left some councils across Yorkshire facing financial ruin.

Yet, while Ministers have – in fairness – offered some recompense, it does not cover the costs incurred by town halls. They also do not have unlimited cash ‘reserves’ at their disposal; they have already been used to paper over the cracks and respond to record demand for adult social care.

And nor is the Government’s assistance sufficient to prevent some authorities warning that they might have to declare themselves bankrupt if they’re unable to balance their books.

The consequence? Even more drastic cuts to those services that the most vulnerable count on each day. What happens when bins aren’t collected? Or when meals on wheels stop? Or if free school meals don’t reach at-risk children? The list is endless – and repercussions unimaginable.

This is not to overlook the cost of Covid-19 to the wider economy. Quite the opposite. But it’s a reminder that the wider damage to society will be incalculable if Ministers do not recognise the immediacy of this local government crisis.

Urgent before Covid-19, it is even more pressing this weekend as some councils will only be able to continue if they see the level of political intervention that saw historic NHS debts wiped out at the start of this emergency. Mr Johnson, you have been warned.

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

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James Mitchinson

Editor