UK city leaders warn of more cuts

The leaders of seven large cities in the UK have warned that disadvantaged areas face a “looming financial crisis” due to new austerity measures imposed by the coalition government.

The heads of councils in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Nottingham, Sheffield, Newcastle and Leeds predicted that main public services will be reduced, after a fresh round of government cuts was announced to their Treasury funding.

The areas of public services that are vulnerable to the new cuts include adult social care, youth clubs, libraries, careers advice and waste collection.

The Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, announced cuts on December 19 to central funding for local authorities ranging from three to 8.8 percent.

“The cuts we are being asked to make in the years ahead will go far beyond the level at which we can protect vital local services. Many non-statutory services that improve the quality of life and provide real economic value are already at risk of disappearing in the next two years,” the heads of the cities said in their joint letter.